Elon Musk, CEO of California-based Tesla, last week told analysts that he wants to get the energy world to a “non-weird future.” Meanwhile, about 2,000 miles away in Minnesota, an international energy gathering offered a glimpse of its own kind of energy future. Musk’s future of microgrids is a place where consumers can easily (and more cheaply) … [Read more...]
Want to Learn about the Future of Energy? Ask Those Already Living it
June 14, 2016 By 1 Comment
A lot of people are wondering where the fast-changing energy industry is heading. But some already are living the future of energy, and they will gather in St. Paul, Minnesota next week to share their experience and insight. About 800 energy leaders from 22 countries are expected to attend “Embracing Change,” the 107th annual conference of the … [Read more...]
Why Microgrids? Why Now?
April 13, 2016 By Leave a Comment
You’re already managing a big facility. Why add responsibility for operating a miniature power grid, too? Edward (Ted) Borer, energy plant manager at Princeton University, explains why microgrids are so important to facility owners who want to save money, reduce emissions and keep the lights on during storms. BY DEFINITION First, let’s agree … [Read more...]
Rural Microgrids in India and Global Energy Storage Market News
April 8, 2016 By 1 Comment
ABB and the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) have agreed to work jointly to design and build rural microgrids. Thousands of Indian villages are still un-electrified; microgrids have the potential to power them, reducing dependence on expensive diesel fuel and the grid. Along with ABB equipment, the rural microgrids will enable homes … [Read more...]
Organizations Sign International MOU to Boost District Energy and Combined Heat and Power
September 8, 2015 By Leave a Comment
District energy and combined heat and power received an international boost with a recent agreement between the International District Energy Association (IDEA) and key organizations in Korea, China, Europe and the Mongol Government. US-based IDEA signed the memorandum of agreement with the Korea District Heating & Cooling Association, the … [Read more...]
A New York Town Creates a Community Microgrid from Existing Energy Infrastructure
August 5, 2015 By Leave a Comment
The following is an excerpt from Community Microgrids, A Guide for Mayors and City Leaders Seeking Clean, Reliable and Locally Controlled Energy, the latest guide in EnergyEfficiencyMarkets.com's Think Microgrid series. Jamestown, New York, offers a good example of a community microgrid design that begins by incorporating existing energy … [Read more...]
Jamestown, New York Leverages Existing Energy Assets for Community Microgrid
July 30, 2015 By 1 Comment
Jamestown, New York, offers a good example of a community microgrid design that begins by incorporating existing energy facilities, a strategy that can decrease project complexity and cost. Rather than building all new infrastructure, the city has proposed a microgrid that will use an existing natural gas-fired power plant and district energy … [Read more...]
The Challenges in Developing a Community Microgrid
July 22, 2015 By Leave a Comment
Before developing a community microgrid, it's important to engage the right experts and take into account certain market challenges, as detailed in this except from “Community Microgrids: A Guide for Mayors and City Leaders Seeking Clean, Reliable and Locally Controlled Energy.” The value of a microgrid lies in its sophisticated ability to … [Read more...]
Two More Good Reasons for Community Microgrids
July 14, 2015 By 3 Comments
Community microgrids keep the lights on during a crisis, as well as strengthen the central grid, as we described in last week's article in this series. Here are two more good reasons for community microgrids, excerpted from our new report, “Community Microgrids: A Guide for Mayors and City Leaders Seeking Clean, Reliable and Locally Controlled … [Read more...]
