PowerSecure Partners with Endeavour to Scale Next-Generation Power Infrastructure
August 19, 2021
PowerSecure, a Southern Company subsidiary, this week announced a new strategic partnership with sustainable infrastructure company Endeavour to roll out Endeavour's patented GridBlock platform for utilities. GridBlock technology simplifies integration of photovoltaics, energy storage and advanced DC services such as electric vehicle fleet charging, while also providing new tools to improve grid resiliency. more

NREL Methods Assist Maui in Approaching 100% Renewable Operations
August 3, 2021
Through 2024, Maui is scheduled to bring online more than 175 MW of new solar-storage hybrid power plants. This, in addition to the almost 200 MW of wind and solar presently on the grid, will be enough renewable power to supply Maui's roughly 70,000 customers without using conventional generation for many hours of the year. But managing such a high proportion of resources that are inherently uncertain is a first for any grid of Maui's size, so the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is developing and validating multi-timescale tools that will bring Maui and other systems closer to 100% clean and stable energy futures. more

The Lac-Mégantic Microgrid: A Window on the Technologies of the Future
July 7, 2021
Linked to Hydro-Québec's main grid, the microgrid is equipped with solar panels installed on six buildings and connected to storage batteries, including an EVLO large-capacity unit. In the case of an outage, the batteries can supply downtown Lac-Mégantic with electricity for several hours. The microgrid can also store the surplus energy it generates and feed it back into Hydro-Québec's main grid. more

EEI, U.S. Department of the Army Sign Energy Resilience Memorandum of Understanding
June 29, 2021
"This historic agreement with EEI creates a new paradigm for collaboration between the Army and the investor-owned electric companies that serve us," said Jack Surash, senior official performing the duties of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment. "We have all witnessed recent events that highlight the risks for modern society when the grid goes down. The need to be resilient is now." more

Horizon Power and PXiSE Energy Solutions Successfully Operate World's First 100% Solar-Plus-Storage-Only Community Grid
June 21, 2021
The breakthrough was the exclusive use of household rooftop and utility solar assets, which are non-dispatchable energy sources, and precisely coordinating that with energy storage resources and load and weather forecasts to provide stable, continuous, high-quality power to a grid. The town did not need to draw power from its fossil-based plant, nor is there any hydropower in the region. Such a model could be applied in any area to go towards 100% renewable. more

Fort Hunter Liggett Partners with Ameresco to Install Resilient, Secure and Sustainable Microgrid Project
May 27, 2021
To support USAG Fort Hunter Liggett's goals to achieve Net Zero Energy, while also attaining U.S. Army Directives to achieve Critical Mission Resiliency, the $21.6 million project will include the design and installation of a secure, islandable and autonomous microgrid with controls and interconnection for new and existing generation and storage systems at the 165,000-acre U.S. Army Reserve training center.    more

Elexicon Energy, Opus One Solutions, and Marshall Homes Design Canada's First Preplanned Nested Microgrid Residential Community
May 25, 2021
The Smart Microgrid Community is the first planned nested microgrid project in Canada to integrate a full-scale, operational smart residential energy system. The community includes a rooftop solar, lithium-ion battery energy storage, electric vehicle charging stations, a smart metering system for community use, and an integrated distribution energy service platform to control and coordinate the components of the microgrid.    more

ESS Inc. to Become a Publicly Listed Company through Merger with ACON S2 Acquisition Corp.
May 10, 2021
ESS Tech, Inc., a manufacturer of long-duration iron flow batteries for commercial and utility-scale energy storage applications, and ACON S2 Acquisition Corp., a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company, announced they have entered into a definitive agreement for a business combination that will result in ESS becoming a publicly listed company.    more

Hawaiian Electric Selected to Help Develop Microgrid Map to Improve Resilience on Oahu
April 26, 2021
Hawaiian Electric will help identify areas on Oahu that are optimal for developing microgrids to build a more resilient electric grid. The mapping is one of 11 initiatives selected as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's inaugural Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project (ETIPP).    more

DOE to Support 11 Remote and Island Communities Transitioning to Resilient Clean Energy Solutions
April 21, 2021
The U.S. Department of Energy has announced it will work with 11 remote and island communities around the United States and provide federal assistance to bolster their energy infrastructure, reduce the risk of outages, and improve their future energy and economic outlook. Due to their geographic isolation, remote coastal and island communities often face high energy costs and vulnerable energy infrastructure due to their increased risk of natural disasters and climate change.    more

PG&E Lays Groundwork for Permanent, Multi-Customer Microgrids
April 14, 2021
Through this new program approved by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), PG&E will provide technical and financial support on a prioritized basis for qualifying projects in areas with the greatest energy resilience needs. This includes dedicated funding to help meet the resilience needs of disadvantaged and vulnerable communities. The CPUC approved the final program details on March 18, 2021.    more

Ameresco Begins Second Phase of Department of Defense Funded Flow Battery Investigation
April 8, 2021
Ameresco this week announced that it has begun phase-two of a multi-stage investigation into how flow battery technology could support microgrids with the U.S. Department of Defense. Phase-one of the investigation was completed in April 2020 and primarily focused on evaluating the technical and economic feasibility of flow battery energy storage. Phase-two of the investigation shifts attention to physical validation and evaluation of flow batteries at the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, CO.    more

Adventist Health and ENGIE North America Announce Completion of Energy Resilient Medical Facility in Paradise, California
April 6, 2021
The Feather River Health Care facility includes a one-megawatt hour energy storage system combined with 425 kilowatts of solar and new, permanent back-up generator. The new, integrated system is designed to deliver clean energy while ensuring energy resiliency to continue to serve the community during public safety power shutoff (PSPS) events.    more

CPUC Approves New PG&E Microgrid Program for Most Vulnerable Communities
March 22, 2021
The program will provide technical support and project management to help communities plan and implement their own microgrid projects, thereby promoting public health and welfare in preparation for wildfire and potential grid outages. One-time matching funds of up to $27 million annually for 2021 and 2022 are available as matching grants to defray the cost of special facilities or distribution system upgrades.    more

KiloVault Unveils XLC Advanced Lead Carbon Deep Cycle Battery
March 15, 2021
The XLC is designed to provide flexible and reliable storage for smart grids, hybrid power supply systems, street lamp power systems, and microgrids. The XLC offers the same function as KiloVault's PLC 2100 battery, but is designed to handle greater energy demands with 1,000 Amp-hours of energy storage.    more

Emera Technologies and Novonix Partner on Innovative Battery Technology
March 8, 2021
Emera Technologies and Halifax-based Novonix Battery Technology Solutions are working together to develop battery pack systems to support microgrids that will provide solar power directly to homes, and could lead to exciting future opportunities across North America. The plan is to field test the first demo units in 2021 which will help inform final decisions around system specifics and design.    more

Groundbreaking Flow Battery Project Helping to Advance Clean Energy Microgrids
January 25, 2021
Two years after becoming the first battery of its kind to be connected to the California grid to help support reliability and maximize the use of clean energy, the vanadium redox flow (VRF) battery based at a San Diego Gas & Electric substation is again breaking new ground. This time, the emerging battery technology is being tested as a means to help achieve zero-emission microgrids.    more

CPUC Adopts Strategies To Help Facilitate Commercialization of Microgrids Statewide
January 15, 2021
Under existing CPUC rules and state law, customers throughout California can already build and operate microgrids. This week's Decision advances the CPUC's continuing goal of further facilitating the commercialization of microgrids, which includes implementing standards, protocols, guidelines, methods, rates, and tariffs to reduce barriers for microgrid deployment statewide.    more

California Energy Commission Awards More Than $5 Million in Grant Funding to Indian Energy for Camp Pendleton Energy Storage Demonstration Project
January 12, 2021
Indian Energy is a 100% Native American-owned utility-scale and microgrid development and systems integration firm. Utilizing the grant funds, Indian Energy, along with construction management partner Webcor, will develop, integrate and commission several innovative Hybrid Modular Storage Systems (HMSS) as a long-duration energy storage technology demonstration and deployment research project.    more

Morgan Stanley Energy Partners Announces Strategic Partnership with SolMicroGrid
January 11, 2021
Alpharetta, Georgia-based SolMicroGrid is a developer and operator of microgrid systems for commercial and industrial customers throughout North America. This strategic partnership will support the growth of SolMicroGrid's business, which offers innovative microgrid solutions through an Energy-as-a-Service business model.    more

PowerSecure Microgrids Delivered Impressive Resiliency in Reliability Performance in 2020
December 17, 2020
PowerSecure, Inc, a Southern Company subsidiary, has announced that its microgrid solutions achieved a 99.5% uptime rate across all natural event-related outages in 2020. Through its analysis of system data, the company found that 566 PowerSecure systems across 283 unique customer sites in 19 states successfully provided power in island mode while customers were impacted by grid outages.    more

Microgrid Leader Cleanspark Acquires Bitcoin Mining Firm to Deploy Renewable Energy Solution
December 14, 2020
CleanSpark, an advanced software and controls technology solutions company, recently announced it has agreed to acquire ATL Data Centers, LLC for up to $19.4 million in shares of the company's common stock. This transaction represents the first strategic acquisition as part of a larger growth plan following CleanSpark's recent $40M institutional investment.    more

Siemens Energy Teams Up With Duke Energy, Clemson University to Study Hydrogen Use
December 11, 2020
Siemens Energy will study the use of its Silyzer electrolyzer to produce hydrogen fuel to help power the existing SGT-400 natural gas turbine at the Clemson plant. Clemson University will lead the integration of hydrogen into the campus grid and ensure energy needs are met, and Duke Energy will provide operational, engineering and grid modeling expertise. Duke Energy also expects the results of the study to be applicable to its larger combustion turbine fleet.    more

White Paper: California's Clean Energy Future - With More Solar, Batteries and EVs - Requires Reimagining the Power Grid
December 10, 2020 | Southern California Edison
"As electricity fuels a larger part of the economy, we must reimagine what the grid should look like in the future and how it will need to function in new ways to meet expanded needs," said Kevin Payne, president and CEO of SCE. Key changes for SCE include recognizing the increasing diversity of different regions' needs and moving from uniform grid architectures to more region-specific, modular grid designs.    more

Port of San Diego Selects EDF Renewables North America for Microgrid Installation
December 8, 2020
The Microgrid Infrastructure Project, consisting of a battery storage system and electrical infrastructure, projects $3.2 million in energy savings for the Port during regular operations over 20 years, and aligns with California Government Code 4217 providing the best value to the Port. The system will provide emergency back-up power to the Port-operated facilities, including security infrastructure, lights, offices, and existing jet fuel storage system in support of the Port's role as a Strategic Port.    more

ENGIE Inaugurates SPORE (Sustainable Power for Offgrid REgions) Platform on Semakau Island, off the Coast of Singapore
December 8, 2020
Realized under the local "Renewable Energy Integration Demonstrator" (REIDS) initiative, the project consists of a state-of-the-art, multi-fluid microgrid solution that generates 650 kW of electricity. ENGIE's REIDS-SPORE is a platform disconnected from the Singapore mainland and energy self-sufficient, with different renewable energy sources and storage solutions integrated together. It boasts the largest wind turbine in Singapore, as well as a hydrogen full chain for electricity and mobility.    more

Enel X and Eaton Partner for Microgrid Development in Puerto Rico
December 7, 2020
Earlier this year, the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau, the island's energy regulator, released its latest integrated resource plan (IRP). Included in the IRP is a mandate for further development of microgrids and renewable energy with targets of at least 3,500 MW of solar and more than 1,300 MW of storage by 2025, as the island continues to rebuild its infrastructure following the 2017 hurricane season.    more

DHYBRID Introduces Technology to Lower Costs and Increase Proportion of Solar Power in Microgrids
December 1, 2020
By improving system management, the recently patented inverter control system can increase the proportion of solar power by more than 10%, with corresponding reductions in the amount of power required from diesel generators or other connected power grids. The Maximum Inverter Power Tracking (MIPT) system achieves these results by continuously adjusting the output of individual inverters or groups of inverters in accordance with the needs of the microgrid.    more

An Unexpected Debut: ARIES Microgrid Infrastructure Powers NREL Campus Through Outage
November 19, 2020
The NREL researchers succeeded in connecting a 430-kW PV solar array, and a 1.5-MW wind turbine, which charged the battery that served the campus. This microgrid demonstrated a unique control methodology called AC coupled that eliminates the need for communication links between all of the technologies, ensuring a very resilient microgrid configuration.    more

Domaine Carneros Winery Selects EDF Renewables North America for Solar and Storage Resilient Microgrid
November 16, 2020
The 250-kilowatt solar PV system will be a combination of carport and ground-mount installations integrated with a 280 kW / 540-kilowatt hour onsite behind-the-meter battery storage solution. The system will allow the solar and storage to power the facility and maintain 100% of its operations during a power outage, reducing diesel fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions as well as extend fuel reserves up to an entire week.    more

Abengoa Awarded the First Large Scale Hybrid Microgrid With Flow Batteries in Africa
November 12, 2020
Abengoa this week annouced that it has been selected to construct a hybrid microgrid power plant by the leading vanadium energy storage solutions provider in the African market Bushveld Energy. The plant will be the first commercial-scale hybrid project with vanadium flow batteries in the continent and the first MW scale' hybrid power plant for a mine in South Africa.    more

Cummins Receives Federal Grants To Advance Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
November 3, 2020
Cummins Inc. has announced the company received two federal grants totaling $4.6 million to advance commercialization of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology. SOFCs can convert fossil fuels into energy much more efficiently than combustion-based processes and can also use low- and no-carbon fuels such as hydrogen to generate power. They have the potential to be a bridge to a carbon-neutral future and much more.    more

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to Optimize Solar Energy With Battery Storage
October 19, 2020
With completion expected in mid-2022, the projects will allow Metropolitan to store excess power to use during peak periods. The projects are estimated to cost $11-12 million. However, through energy savings and incentives from the California Public Utilities Commission, Metropolitan is expected to recoup its costs within three years.    more

U.S. Department of Energy Launches Partnership Initiative to Strengthen Remote and Islanded Communities' Energy Resilience
October 19, 2020
The cross-sector initiative will build on tools developed by DOE, pool the technical assets of community-based organizations, and engage DOE's national labs to work alongside communities pursuing energy transitions. Together, this broad coalition will empower competitively selected communities to plan for, withstand, and recover from energy disruptions.    more

Largest Multi-Customer Microgrid in California to Serve Agriculture Industrial Park
October 9, 2020
Concentric Power designed the intelligent microgrid to integrate a mix of 14.5MW-AC of solar energy, 10MW/27.5MWh of battery energy storage and 10MW of flexible thermal generation, all of which will be managed by the company's Advanced Microgrid Controller. The microgrid will also include a privately owned substation that will allow energy and capacity services to be sold into the California electricity grid.    more

DCPSC Issues RFP to Conduct Study on Value of Distributed Energy Resources in the District
October 8, 2020
The Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia has approved a request for proposals to hire a consultant to produce a methodology and metrics for determining the value of distributed energy resources in the District. The first phase of the analysis will result in a framework and dynamic pricing formula, which would then be implemented during the second phase. The framework will be used to calculate rates of DER compensation.    more

Siemens and Macquarie's Green Investment Group Launch Distributed Energy Venture Calibrant Energy
October 6, 2020
Macquarie's Green Investment Group, Siemens' Smart Infrastructure (SI) and Financial Services (SFS) groups this week announced the formation of Calibrant Energy, a joint venture that plans to offer onsite Energy-as-a-Service solutions at no up-front cost for its customers, which include corporate and industrial clients, as well as municipalities, universities, schools and hospitals.    more

CleanSpark Commissions Software on New Microgrid Featuring Tesla Batteries
September 22, 2020
CleanSpark, Inc. recently announced the commissioning of its software on a new solar plus storage microgrid project in Central America. CleanSpark is partnered with an energy developer to deploy this unique solution for Micro Technologies SA, a major international assembly and manufacturing company. This microgrid is for their new factory located in the San Jose, Alajuela Province of Costa Rica.    more

Huck Capital and Schneider Electric Announce Partnership to Deliver Energy-As-A-Service
August 17, 2020
The partnership creates an innovative alternative for building owners and operators who want to transition to renewable energy to lower emissions, increase resiliency, and reduce costs without investing in renewable energy assets and relying on specialists to operate the microgrid.    more

CleanSpark Announces Contract for Another Southern California Microgrid
July 30, 2020
The microgrid project is designed to provide economic optimization and cost avoidance, as well as energy resiliency for the facility. CleanSpark's patented mPulse controls platform will manage a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) paired with photovoltaic rooftop solar panels.    more

The World's First Energy Islands Are Becoming a Reality in Denmark
June 24, 2020
The largest of the new energy islands is going to be an artificial island in the Danish North Sea. The island is going to be established by 2030 at the latest with 3 GW offshore wind connected through the island. In time, the island will connect 10 GW offshore wind and host electricity storage and power-to-X as well as housing, O&M facilities and HVDC converters for transmission and interconnectors.    more

Avista Micro-Transactive Grid to Study Energy Sharing, Resiliency
June 15, 2020
The project, known as a micro-transactive grid or MTG, will allow distributed energy resources (DER) to be traded from one building to another as needs shift, forming what Avista's calling a shared energy economy. Avista plans to use the MTG as a pilot in order to prove whether investment in microgrids can benefit the utility as well as the end user.    more

REC Solar and DHX-Dependable Hawaiian Express Announce Completion of Solar Microgrid Project
May 7, 2020
The solar generation is combined with 222 kWh of battery energy storage, a microgrid controller and other equipment. The result is a zero-emissions energy system that protects DHX's sensitive electronic equipment and provides up to four hours of backup power during outages. The microgrid enables a graceful shutdown and smooth transition from grid power during electric outages.    more

Ameresco Completes First Phase of Department of Defense-Funded Flow Battery Investigation
May 5, 2020
Ameresco's ESTCP-funded project aims to assess, validate, and demonstrate the operational effectiveness of vanadium-redox flow battery storage technology and quantify the extent to which it could replace or significantly reduce the need for diesel generators in military microgrids.    more

CPUC Issues Proposal for the Deployment of Microgrids and Resiliency Strategies to Support Communities and Infrastructure Threatened by Power Outages
April 30, 2020
The proposal, officially termed a Proposed Decision, orders utilities to prioritize, streamline, and expedite microgrids and resiliency projects that could be put in place by September 1, 2020, and requires collaboration with local and tribal governments. The proposal is intended to rapidly develop and deploy projects that could keep electricity on for critical facilities and other customers during power outages.    more

SSEN Avoids Carbon Emissions Equivalent to Powering 500,000 Homes for a Week, Through a Smarter Energy Approach
April 16, 2020
Constraint Managed Zones are an alternative to traditional generation being used when the main electricity network is temporarily disconnected, for example during a prolonged power cut, fault on a subsea cable or during a period of network maintenance. Rather than rely solely on diesel generators or back-up power stations, the use of renewables and energy storage is being encouraged to keep the power flowing for local communities until the traditional electricity supply is back up and running.    more

Utilidata Secures Rights to Technology for Bringing Real-Time Operational Controls to the Grid Edge
March 18, 2020
Developed by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory with funding from DOE's Advanced Research Projects - Energy program, the Real-time Optimal Power Flow (RT-OPF) technology enables highly localized load control, enabling seamless integration of distributed energy resources. Utilidata plans to embed this technology, along with its existing voltage optimization technology and virtual power flow model, into smart meters, unlocking new potential for grid edge control.    more

McKinleyville Selects Ameresco to Develop Community Microgrid and Battery Energy Storage System
March 16, 2020
The microgrid will incorporate existing diesel generation along with new solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery energy storage assets to optimize electrical grid resiliency while delivering both financial and environmental benefits to the the community's 16,900 residents.    more

Scale Microgrid Solutions Announces Equity Commitment of up to $300 Million from Warburg Pincus
January 28, 2020
Scale Microgrid Solutions this week announced that it has secured an equity commitment of up to $300 million from Warburg Pincus, a global private equity firm focused on growth investing. Founded in 2016, SMS is a vertically integrated distributed energy company focused on delivering fully financed cleaner, cheaper and more reliable power solutions to commercial and industrial customers throughout North America.    view blog

Renewables Opening Doors for Innovative Energy Solutions in Remote Mining
January 23, 2020
The year 2019 was the turning point for renewable energy projects at remote mines: More than a dozen projects were commissioned or announced. Mining companies have adopted solar and wind power to reduce their energy cost and carbon footprint in a rather lengthy process, notes Dr. Thomas Hillig of THEnergy.    more

"Electrification efforts in Africa understandably typically focus on adding generation but that's far from the whole story," according to Steve Chakerian, Senior Research Analyst at Northeast Group. "Generation will see huge growth, but billions of dollars will still need to be spent to build out T&D grids. In addition, electricity meters are the 'cash registers' of the power sector. Without efficient metering, African utilities will not have the necessary funds to invest sufficiently in their grids."    more

Indra and Monash University are collaborating to develop, implement and test a distribution management platform across the Clayton campus of the Monash University in Victoria, to control a grid-connected Microgrid comprising a variety of distributed energy resources (DER).    more

Kyocera Corporation and New York-based LO3 Energy recently announced a joint project to test the feasibility of a blockchain-managed virtual power plant (VPP) utilizing a peer-to-peer distributed consensus network. LO3's blockchain technology is used for verifying and recording transactions, enabling consumer "sharing" of energy they produce with their own solar panels via a microgrid.    more

Schneider Electric has announced the expansion of its microgrid project at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar to boost resilience. A California Energy Commission Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) grant will enable the $3.9 million project that will add energy storage to the microgrid and integrate demand side management.    more

Adaptation to climate change will continue to play a key role in driving greater integration of microgrids in the energy sector. According to Navigant Research, the global microgrid market is expected to grow from roughly $6.3 billion in 2018 to $30.9 billion by the end of 2027 with North America (US and Canada) accounting for about 30% of the market.    more

Ninety-five percent of utilities executives agree that the risk of electricity consumers going largely off the grid and only using it as occasional backup will increase significantly in the next two years, according to a study from Accenture. However, the study finds that electrification of transport and buildings will bolster electricity demand growth after 2026.    more

A Black & Veatch-designed microgrid at Shell's Technology Center in Houston, Texas, is actively powering part of the campus while serving as a critical research tool for Shell International Exploration & Production Company, Inc.'s work to explore the next generation of clean power and distributed energy technologies.    more

The electric utility industry is at a crossroads. Deployments of distributed energy resources (DER) will exceed centralized generation in 2018, and the gap between the two categories will only grow wider (and in favor of DER) over time. According to a recent report by Navigant Research, microgrids represent one platform that can transform these DER into systems that offer enhanced resiliency services outside of traditional utility offerings.    more

Bronzeville, the South Side home of Chicago's Black Renaissance and the birthplace of Black History Month, hopes to launch its next Golden Age with support from a smart microgrid being installed by utility ComEd. The microgrid will tap green energy to help power the community.    more

Schneider Electric recently announced an agreement to design, engineer and build a new microgrid that will enable critical energy resilience at the Port of Long Beach in the city of Long Beach, California. Schneider Electric will create a microgrid technology demonstration which will include an integrated system of distributed energy resources (DER) and microgrid controls, enabling added resilience via long-term islanding at the port's critical response facility, the Joint Command and Control Center (JCCC), which functions as the port's hub for security.    more

Rolls-Royce is investing in Berlin-based start-up company Qinous GmbH, a global provider of innovative energy storage and control systems, and adding turnkey microgrids to the portfolio.    more