S&C Electric's David Chiesa describes a microgrid controller storm setting that can help utility recovery efforts when bad weather strikes. As we’ve reached mid-fall, weather has quickly been changing, creating a mix of strong winds, heavy rain, snow, sleet—even hurricanes and tornados. And with this instability, all of this varying weather … [Read more...]
India’s First Multi-Source Microgrid… And Other Quick Microgrid News
November 20, 2015 By
India's first fully fledged multi-source microgrid was inaugurated earlier this month, just in time to supply power to ABB's Automation and Power World (APW) global customer fair in New Delhi. Powered by solar and wind, the microgrid is equipped with a battery bank for power storage and balancing, and can island or supplement the main grid. … [Read more...]
Seeking a Global Blueprint for Microgrids in Greece…and More Quick Microgrid News
November 5, 2015 By
Younicos, which is part of a consortium in Greece working on a global blueprint for smart microgrids, says that the Greek Island of Tilos could use renewables for more than 80 percent of its power with battery energy storage. The battery would dramatically cut use -- and therefore cost -- of fossil fuel-based power transmitted to Tilos from a … [Read more...]
Moody’s on New York REV: Winners, Losers and What’s Next
October 21, 2015 By
New York utilities would not become obsolete, but may actually see their value increase under New York’s Reforming the Energy Vision, or REV, according to a report issued this week by Moody's Investors Service. REV is a regulatory remaking of electricity markets being watched carefully by other states as a possible model to manage the growing … [Read more...]
Energy Storage Is a Key Ingredient for All Microgrids
October 14, 2015 By
Recently I read where microgrids that generate half their power from solar supposedly don’t need energy storage. It might be true that they don’t need energy storage, but any microgrid developer that fails to include it in a photovoltaic (PV) project will miss out on a wide range of significant functional benefits that would help make the project … [Read more...]
Pool of Innovators in the Microgrid Space Is Diverse, Often Incomparable
October 6, 2015 By
Ranking the pool of innovators in the microgrid space isn't easy because of their diversity. After recently publishing an apples-to-apples comparison, Peter Asmus of Navigant Research now offers an apples-to-oranges look. Navigant Research’s recently published Navigant Research Leaderboard Report: Microgrid Controls is our first ranking of … [Read more...]
How Fast is the Microgrid Market Growing, Really?
August 31, 2015 By
Two respected research firms regularly analyze and forecast market growth for microgrids. Both agree that microgrids will grow at a rapid clip over the next five years. But how rapid? If you try to compare the findings from the two firms -- GTM Research and Navigant Research -- you might end up scratching your head. It’s a bit of an apples and … [Read more...]
How the Clean Power Plan Will Spur More Microgrids…Eventually
August 7, 2015 By
The Clean Power Plan is likely to spur more microgrid development, offering a new and different kind of public policy support for these mini-versions of the larger grid. But not overnight. Announced by the Environmental Protection Agency this week, the rule requires that states come up with plans to cut carbon dioxide emissions from electric power … [Read more...]
How the Clean Power Plan Advances Microgrids
August 6, 2015 By
Microgrids win a new and different kind of public policy support under the carbon-cutting Clean Power Plan announced by the Obama administration this week. The rule requires that states come up with plans to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from electric power 32 percent below 2005 levels by 2030. That means cutting 870 million tons of carbon … [Read more...]
Energy Storage is Vital to Grid Modernization
June 24, 2015 By
How can we really support grid modernization? One important step is the reclassification of energy storage. This is the view of many. including Tim Qualheim, S&C Electric's vice president—strategic solutions. Last year, President Obama issued a memorandum calling for a Quadrennial Energy Review, the first of which was released this May. More … [Read more...]
