The digitalization of power generation includes many new technologies, all designed to increase efficiency, along with reliability and resiliency. A group of energy industry experts came together Sept. 30 at Experience POWER, the virtual event supported by POWER magazine, to discuss “Microgrids and DERs—Leveraging the Benefits.” The session explored how data analytics and the Industrial Internet of […]
Microgrids Are The Future Of Energy
The vision of a household with a solar rooftop, a battery pack, and an EV in the garage is not just Elon Musk’s vision of the future of energy. It is a vision that many proponents of the renewable shift share, and it may be growing increasingly more realistic, thanks to information technology. Distributed energy […]
On Cue, Blackouts Roll Across California after Google and Others Press for More Microgrids
As if to underscore the point, power blackouts rolled across California late last week right after dozens of stakeholders urged state regulators to push harder to get more microgrids built. Hundreds of thousands of Californians lost power Friday and Saturday night when electric demand exceeded supply because of extreme heat. Utilities imposed the rolling blackouts […]
Microgrid of the future emerges in Washington as Avista preps transactive DER project
New building control systems and a pair of solar+storage systems will test the business case for greater integration of distributed energy resources. Avista Energy is preparing to launch a “micro-transactive grid” in Spokane, Washington, that experts say illustrates the future of distributed energy resource (DER) management. Beyond maintaining resilient power, the microgrid will provide visibility and control […]
Assessing Alternatives to Diesel Backup Power
Improved resilience has emerged as a top priority for the U.S. power grid. Efforts to mitigate wildfire risk in Northern California last year led to hundreds of thousands of electricity customers being disconnected from the grid. During hurricane season, customers in the Eastern and Southern U.S. often face the associated threat of multi-day power outages. […]