Jayant Kumar, global digital grids program director at GE Grid Solutions, discusses how community microgrids can change civilization, and why every city planner should keep them top of mind. Elisa Wood, chief editor of Microgrid Knowledge, interviewed Kumar at Microgrid 2017 in Boston. In terms of who the industry needs to be educating on the … [Read more...]
How 2017 Made the Argument for Microgrids
January 2, 2018 By
Sometimes events make an argument more strongly than words can. Such was the case in 2017 when disaster after disaster spoke to the vulnerability of the electric grid and the need for microgrids to ensure power supply. First came Hurricane Harvey in late August with wind and water knocking out 10,000 MW of generating capacity in Texas. Then on … [Read more...]
$1.5 Billion Microgrid Market Opportunity Emerges in Kenya
September 4, 2017 By
A confluence of innovation, risk taking, and public and private effort has created a five-year, $1.5 billion microgrid market opportunity in Kenya, leading Germany’s TFE Consulting to dub the East African nation, “The World's Microgrid Lab.” International startups are deploying innovative mobile 'pay as you go' (Pay-Go), home solar, and … [Read more...]
Clarkson Avenue Microgrid Designed for Brooklyn Medical Corridor
June 19, 2017 By
Here we profile the Clarkson Avenue Microgrid project, as part of a series of occasional articles about NY Prize winners, based on their detailed applications to the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA). Given the critical nature of their services, hospitals are prime candidates for microgrids. Maintaining a … [Read more...]
A Microgrid to Keep New York City’s Fresh Food Supply Safe
August 4, 2016 By
When the power fails, refrigerators go out too, jeopardizing our fresh food supply. That’s part of the reason a $137 million microgrid has been proposed in the Hunts Point area of New York City. The South Bronx neighborhood is home to a wholesale food cooperative located at the Hunts Point Food Distribution Center (FDC), which includes the … [Read more...]
GE Positions to Scale Up in the Microgrid Market
July 19, 2016 By
General Electric yesterday signaled that it is about to become more visible and aggressive in the increasingly competitive microgrid market. “The technology is ready, and we are now ready to scale up,” said Herve Amosse, GE’s general manager for grid automation, siting an increasingly viable business case for microgrids as renewable energy costs … [Read more...]
Alaska Center Seeks New Microgrid Technology…Microgrid Brings Peace & Quiet to Kenya Park…Other Quick News
July 14, 2016 By
Funds available in microgrid technology competition The Alaska Center for Microgrid Technologies has launched a competition that offers financial and lab assistance for microgrid technology development. The grand prize winner will receive $275,000 to accelerate commercialization and improve operation and efficiency of a microgrid technology. … [Read more...]
National Grid to Test New Utility Microgrid Services
March 14, 2016 By
How will utilities make money as more customers generate their own electricity? That’s one of the big looming industry questions, and one that National Grid is trying to solve by testing new utility microgrid services. The utility plans to try out the services in Potsdam, New York, where it is installing a microgrid with Clarkson University, … [Read more...]
GE Forms New Company in $1B Play for Disruptive Energy Market
October 7, 2015 By
GE is making a $1 billion play to offer microgrids, energy efficiency, energy storage, electric vehicles and other disruptive energy technologies to large energy users through a new company called Current. Based in Boston, with offices in Silicon Valley, Current is a first-of-its-kind company that brings a range of efficiency-inducing energy … [Read more...]
DOE Awards $8M for Microgrid Projects in Seven States
September 8, 2014 By
Seven microgrid projects will receive more than $8 million in federal funding to help cities and towns better prepare for extreme weather, the Department of Energy announced today. The money will go to projects in Alaska, California, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Tennessee and Washington. The projects are being developed by Alstom Grid, Burr … [Read more...]
