A mix of dry conditions and strong winds are conspiring to make this year’s wildfire season in California especially threatening, and utilities and regulators are working to rapidly implement new resilience programs and ready microgrids to mitigate fire risk and prevent prolonged outages. The first few months of the year saw record low … [Read more...]
Connecticut to Look at Resilience, Renewables & NWAs in Grid Modernization Proceeding
July 14, 2020 By Leave a Comment
Connecticut has launched three new proceedings to explore grid modernization policies that are likely to be of interest to the microgrid community. Underway before the state Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA), the three policy tracks will look at reliability and system resilience metrics and targets, non-wires alternatives, and the … [Read more...]
California Regulators Move into Phase 2 of Proceeding to Commercialize Microgrids
July 13, 2020 By Leave a Comment
California regulators are set to dive into microgrid tariffs and other complex approaches to advance the technology, as they enter the second phase of their effort to commercialize microgrids. The Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) expects to issue a staff proposal July 22 and will seek comment on the proposal from stakeholders by August 14 … [Read more...]
California CEC Looks at Future of Microgrids in Workshop
July 7, 2020 By 1 Comment
California, a frontrunner among states in its support for microgrids, will hold a two-day remote workshop, beginning July 7, to gather information and assess what's next for the technology. Organized by the California Energy Commission, the workshop focuses on opportunities to address resiliency challenges facing the state. Electricity … [Read more...]
Congressional Proposal Recognizes Microgrid Role in US Climate Strategy
July 3, 2020 By 1 Comment
It’s been slow to come, but lawmakers are increasingly incorporating microgrids into climate strategies, a focal point for Democrat politicians in both chambers. The carbon-reduction roadmap released this week by the US House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis offers a case in point. Called “Solving the Climate Crisis,” the plan seeks … [Read more...]
Minigrids Could Serve about Half of People without Power: Report
July 2, 2020 By 1 Comment
Minigrids can serve about half the people in the world — about 111 million households — who lack electricity by 2030 at a cost of $128 billion, although increased policy support is needed, according to a report. There are about 5,500 minigrids in Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and small island nations, with some in Latin America, according to State of … [Read more...]
Democrats Introduce US Infrastructure Plan that Includes Support for Microgrids
June 29, 2020 By 3 Comments
Hoping to ensure that clean energy investment is a major part of any potential economic recovery package, Democrats in Congress recently introduced the Moving Forward Act — a $1.5 trillion infrastructure plan that would boost renewable energy, grid modernization, resilience measures and microgrids. Microgrids receive particular attention in the … [Read more...]
Caribbean Ripe for DER and Microgrid Development but Needs Financial Boost
June 26, 2020 By
The Caribbean is ripe for microgrid development because of the challenges of hurricanes and COVID-19, but financial constraints are getting in the way. The Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) is proposing some solutions. This year’s hurricane season is expected to be worse than usual, while the islans are still coming back from the impacts of … [Read more...]
Groups Urge California Governor to Support Community Microgrids: “A Just Transition to Clean Energy”
June 15, 2020 By 2 Comments
Because microgrids offer communities greater control over their energy supply, they’re viewed as a mechanism to help marginalized communities that struggle with the dual burden of poverty and dirty air. Clean energy microgrid projects in rural Africa and India demonstrate the idea. But in the US, use of microgrids as a community-improvement … [Read more...]
PG&E: Partnering with Communities on Microgrids “Critically Important”
June 12, 2020 By 1 Comment
Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) described partnering with communities on microgrids as “critically important” yesterday following approval by California regulators of the utility’s plan to use microgrids to reduce wildfire-related power outages. The approval was part of a larger order issued by the public utilities commission to … [Read more...]
