It was a hot summer in Texas. Even into autumn the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) was urging customers to use less electricity. Given these events, and new renewable energy options, businesses in the state are — no doubt — thinking about their energy choices. Microgrid Knowledge will explore issues surrounding ERCOT’s supply … [Read more...]
Solar-Plus-Storage is Critical to Microgrid Development
May 23, 2019 By 1 Comment
This is the latest in a series of articles on ideas that emerged from Microgrid 2019, held in San Diego May 14-16. Here we focus on a discussion about energy storage from the panel "Beyond Islanding: The Well-Connected Microgrid." Microgrids increasingly depend on solar-plus-storage — or the ability to generate solar power on site and to … [Read more...]
Microgrid News from NRG Energy, Cummins, USA Microgrids, Navigant
January 5, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Partnership to watch: NRG Energy and Cummins Here is one to watch. Energy giant NRG Energy and engine manufacturer Cummins have formed a partnership to offer distributed energy systems for commercial and industrial customers. The partnership brings together NRG’s distributed energy capabilities with Cummins’ generators into a platform … [Read more...]
Utility-Owned Microgrids Get Thumbs-Down from Maryland PSC Staff
June 5, 2016 By 5 Comments
Questioning the legality of utility-owned microgrids, regulatory advisors in Maryland on Friday came out against a microgrid pilot plan by Baltimore Gas & Electric. Instead, the staff of the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) called for the commission to launch a larger, generic proceeding on microgrid policy in the state. The … [Read more...]
Microgrid Group on REV: Don’t Replace One Utility Monopoly with Another
October 28, 2015 By Leave a Comment
New York appears to be moving in the direction of making electric utilities into something like an Internet marketplace for energy -- and this may not be a wise move. That’s the word from the Microgrid Resources Coalition (MRC) in written comments filed this week on Reforming the Energy Vision (REV), a much-watched strategy to decentralize New … [Read more...]
No Place to Plug In: Welcome to the Age of Socket Insecurity
October 12, 2015 By 1 Comment
America is good at making enough electricity to serve its increasingly plugged-in economy. Ample juice is flowing. Problem is, there is no place to plug in. We are becoming a nation beset by socket insecurity. Watch the weary traveler in almost any airport, on the hunt for a charging kiosk to save his cell phone before its final tweet. … [Read more...]
NY Prize Stage 1 Awards: Who, Why and What’s it Mean for Community Microgrids
July 9, 2015 By 23 Comments
New York showed itself as the nation’s leader in community microgrid development July 8 by awarding funds for an unprecedented 83 projects through its $40 million NY Prize. No other state has made such a vigorous foray into this type of microgrid, which focuses largely on keeping critical facilities up and running in a community when the central … [Read more...]
Central Hudson and NRG Energy Propose Complex Microgrids in New York
May 18, 2015 By 4 Comments
Central Hudson Gas & Electric wants to test the market for complex microgrids in a project with NRG Energy that may span as many as 50 buildings. The New York utility described the project in a recent filing before the state Public Service Commission. It is one of the seven projects offered by Central Hudson to help the state develop its … [Read more...]
The Shape of Microgrid Financing Begins to Reveal Itself
March 5, 2015 By 1 Comment
The shape of microgrid financing is beginning to emerge as pilot projects come on line and the industry mimics successful approaches used by solar firms. FuelCell Energy’s recent sale of a university microgrid to NRG Energy offers a recent example. The Connecticut-based fuel cell manufacturer sold the 1.4 MW university microgrid to the … [Read more...]
