It’s been an exciting year for microgrids, culminating with passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in August. The IRA establishes a 30% tax credit for the technologies used within microgrids, including solar, energy storage and microgrid controllers. Accordingly, the law is driving tremendous interest in microgrids. So who better to turn to for expert advice and strategies than microgrid and clean energy industry leaders? One of the outlets for such information is our full library of microgrid white papers.
Microgrid Knowledge’s top 10 microgrid white papers of 2022 came from energy leaders such as Rolls-Royce, Xendee, Cummins, Eaton, Mesa Solutions, Schneider Electric, PXiSE, Ameresco, Sapling Financial and Scale Microgrid Solutions.
The most popular microgrid white papers make clear that energy customers are interested in learning about funding and building microgrids. Cost, efficiency and microgrid components are key factors that they’re considering.
Below you will find the top 10 most downloaded white papers on Microgrid Knowledge in 2022, covering everything from how microgrids are designed to energy storage and why clean energy microgrids make sense.
In this white paper, you will learn what a microgrid is and how to combine multiple power sources like batteries and solar for maximum efficiency and uptime with a microgrid.
2. Designing Microgrid-as-a-Service Agreements Requires State of the Art Design Methods
Xendee
Microgrid-as-a-service (MaaS) agreements provide end users with lower energy costs and improved resilience. But introducing the MaaS business model into what is already a complex system requires more than simple spreadsheet calculations. This white paper outlines the benefits of using state of the art design methods when designing MaaS agreements.
3. Energy Modeling: An Essential Step in Microgrid Projects
Cummins
Faced with a growing number of extreme weather events, new emissions mandates and the rising cost of energy, many businesses are considering integrating microgrids into their energy plans. In this white paper, you’ll learn how energy modeling can be used to determine the best energy mix for your microgrid, as well as how big it needs to be to achieve your project goals.
4. How to Design and Operate a Microgrid
Eaton
This white paper describes how to design and operate a microgrid by examining a microgrid installed for the US Department of Defense at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. The microgrid is composed of two natural gas generators, a battery energy storage inverter, renewables and a static switch. The Fort Sill microgrid provides valuable insight about microgrids designed for seamless transitions between grid-connected and islanded operation, as well as those with a high concentration of dynamic and nonlinear loads.
5. How to Get Off the Electric Grid, Stabilize Cost & Increase Efficiency
Mesa Solutions
When a half dozen beneficial and complementary capabilities present themselves for optimal use all at once, it can be challenging to tell the story linearly. This report explores how to get off the electric grid and do it while retaining and increasing reliability, efficiency and cost stability.
6. Microgrid Business Models and Value Chains
Schneider Electric
The new energy industry is working to categorize the various types of microgrid business models. The primary goal is to minimize microgrid system and design costs. This white paper outlines how microgrid categories will help promote standardized designs – which will enable repeatable, modular and scalable systems.
Utilities and regulators are working to transition our electricity grid into one that is dynamic, resilient and able to take advantage of multiple distributed energy resources including electric vehicles, solar, wind and battery energy. This white paper explores six ways in which microgrid controllers can solve common challenges that the modern grid faces.
8. Optimizing Microgrid Systems: Integrating Renewable Energy Sources and Battery Storage
Rolls-Royce
A microgrid utilizes multiple power generation assets to create energy. These assets can be conventional distributed energy resources such as generator sets or renewable resources such as wind turbines and solar panels. These resources, paired with energy storage, are not just technically feasible, but also cost-effective for many applications. This white paper outlines how integrating renewable energy sources and battery storage can optimize a microgrid system.
9. The Rise of Clean Energy Microgrids & Why They Make Sense
Ameresco
All microgrids offer greater electric reliability. But the clean energy microgrid does more. It also reduces carbon emissions and helps organizations reach sustainability goals. The report covers why microgrids make sense for today’s hospitals, higher education institutions, military and government, and businesses.
10. Think Like a Financier to Win Funding for Your Microgrid Project
Sapling Financial and Scale Microgrid Solutions
It’s far easier to finance a microgrid project today than it was just a few years ago thanks to new financing mechanisms and a greater understanding of the technology by investors. Still, some great microgrid projects do not see the light of day because of the gap between a developer’s vision and a financier’s scrutiny. This white paper lays out how investors and other financiers think about energy projects. The aim is to help move a microgrid from the drawing board to reality by preparing engineering firms, developers and project sponsors to think like those in the lending community.
Interested in learning more about microgrids? Explore our library of microgrid white papers.
