In this week’s Industry Perspectives, Philip Barton, director, Microgrid Competency Center, Schneider Electric, explains how Microgrids-as-a-Service (MaaS) can help pave the way for more resilient and efficient energy sources. Total energy production in the United States increased for the sixth consecutive year in 2016 per the U.S. Energy … [Read more...]
Illinois utility Ameren has selected Schneider Electric's EcoStruxure Microgrid Advisor to manage an advanced microgrid it operates in Champaign, adjacent to the University of Illinois. Schneider’s cloud-based software allows facility managers and microgrid operators to collect data, forecast demand and usage, and automatically optimize the … [Read more...]
Many energy technologies receive some sort of utility or government incentive -- especially those that are new and promising -- but need an early nudge to win the market's confidence. Microgrid incentives, however, remain scarce in the U.S. They do exist, but come mostly in the form of grants from a handful of states. Or some microgrids capture … [Read more...]
California lawmakers voted this week to extend the state's cap-and-trade program to 2030, a move expected to boost microgrid development, especially when coupled with other climate plays. Backed by Gov. Jerry Brown, the legislation won passage by a two-thirds vote in the Assembly and the Senate. By itself the extension isn't expected to … [Read more...]
Another major utility is on the move advancing a microgrid strategy to build projects beyond its regulated service territory, this one Georgia-based Southern Company. With assets of $109.7 billion, and 32,000 employees in four states, Southern is one of the largest U.S. electric utilities, ranked as number three for market value. It is pursuing … [Read more...]
Navigant Research has identified 173 new microgrid projects worldwide in its Microgrid Deployment Tracker 2Q17, released this week. In all, Navigant has found 1,842 microgrids operating, under development, or proposed, representing 19,279.4 MW of capacity globally. In its last tracker, released in December 2016, Navigant had counted 1,681 … [Read more...]
In this week's Industry Perspectives, Schneider Electric's Mark Feasel explains how hospital microgrids are becoming an integral part of the "energy value chain." Hospitals are often pillars of the communities they serve. And, while the welfare of patients, safety of staff and comfort of visitors remain top priorities, today, leadership extends … [Read more...]
Microgrids are the keystone as we move toward use of more distributed energy resources (DERs). And they offer a variety of ways to increase your facility’s resiliency, efficiency, and sustainability. But how does it all work, and how can you use this technology to optimize your current existing operation? Microgrid technologies enable … [Read more...]
The new energy industry is working to categorize the various types of microgrid business models. The primary goal is to minimize microgrid system costs such as project development, system design, commissioning, service, support, and funding. Microgrid categories will help promote standardized designs – which will enable repeatable, modular, and … [Read more...]
Increase your facility's resiliency, efficiently, and sustainability with the latest microgrid technology. Microgrids seamlessly combine Distributed Energy Resources (DER) with your existing operation to achieve resiliency, optimize energy costs, enhance security and reduce CO2 emissions. When connecting on-site generation and storage assets … [Read more...]
NRDC’s Jackson Morris explains why New York is exploring a carbon adder to meet climate goals and how it would work.
State regulatory bodies are realizing that out-of-date regulatory rules are limiting Microgrid adoption and are working to change regulation. States such as New York, Connecticut, and Minnesota have allocated funding and started conversations on how best to change the state regulation to allow for Microgrids to be adopted.
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