+- +-

+-User

Welcome, Guest.
Please login or register.
 
 
 

Login with your social network

Forgot your password?

+-Stats ezBlock

Members
Total Members: 48
Latest: watcher
New This Month: 0
New This Week: 0
New Today: 0
Stats
Total Posts: 16867
Total Topics: 271
Most Online Today: 1208
Most Online Ever: 1208
(March 28, 2024, 07:28:27 am)
Users Online
Members: 0
Guests: 1015
Total: 1015

Author Topic: Microgrids  (Read 1784 times)

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

AGelbert

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 36274
  • Location: Colchester, Vermont
    • Renwable Revolution
Microgrids
« on: October 10, 2013, 10:26:04 pm »
The Micro(grid) Solution to the Macro Challenge of Climate Change

Leia Guccione
Consultant

SNIPPET 1:

The Microgrid Solution

Not that long ago, I wrote a piece describing how a microgrid could help you survive a zombie apocalypse; the reality is microgrids can help us both prepare for and prevent the much more realistic threat of climate change. Combatting climate change necessarily involves a critical shift away from fossil fuels and towards clean energy, efficiency, and renewable energy.

Such energy resources are inherently distributed and resilient, which makes them naturally compatible with—and their benefits maximized by—microgrids. Thus with efficiency and renewables as part of a microgrid electricity architecture, you don’t have to choose between mitigation and adaptation. You can have both. You can have your cake and eat it, too.

SNIPPET 2:

San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) has partnered with the Department of Energy (DOE) and the California Energy Commission (CEC) to build the Borrego Springs Microgrid. This vulnerable portion of SDG&E territory lies in the remote northeast corner of their service territory, at the end of a single transmission line, in an area prone to wildfires.

In order to provide better service to this territory while also protecting the greater SDG&E grid, the utility has assembled a microgrid that incorporates distributed solar PV, distributed energy storage, community and utility-scale energy storage, smart controls, an advanced Outage Management System (OMS), and microgrid capabilities. In the event that SDG&E needs to isolate Borrego Springs due to a wildfire or other system threat, the community has a diverse mix of energy assets, which give it the ability to stand on its own.

It is, in many ways, a textbook deployment of a microgrid—integrated with the macro-grid normally, able to self-sufficiently island when necessary, powered by portfolio of distributed and largely renewable energy resources.

http://blog.rmi.org/blog_2013_10_02_microgrid_solution_to_macro_challenge_of_climate_change
« Last Edit: February 10, 2017, 07:13:02 pm by AGelbert »
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:37

Surly1

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 916
Re: Microgrids
« Reply #1 on: October 11, 2013, 06:23:06 am »
BTW, AG I am reposting many of these articles on the DDFB page. I assume that is OK.

AGelbert

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 36274
  • Location: Colchester, Vermont
    • Renwable Revolution
Re: Microgrids
« Reply #2 on: October 11, 2013, 06:25:14 pm »
Surly,
Absolutely! Post anything you want that you find here with or without attribution.

The more people know about the bad stuff that has happened and the good stuff that can and is happening, the better.
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:37

AGelbert

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 36274
  • Location: Colchester, Vermont
    • Renwable Revolution
Re: Microgrids
« Reply #3 on: July 31, 2014, 03:25:50 pm »
Case Study: Using OPC Software To Operate Wind Farms in Spain

Darek Kominek, MatrikonOPC
July 31, 2014

Confronted by problems such as multiple locations, proprietary components from multiple vendors, and the necessity for reliable communication channels over unreliable network environments, the energy company had found data consolidation from its different wind farms highly challenging.

In partnering with experts dedicated to provide a vendor-neutral solution, OPC could be implemented as a corporate standard for communication. Thanks to this, the energy company achieved a scalable and robust architecture based on an open standard which enables the creation of a vendor neutral hardware and software architecture. As a result, the connectivity between the remote wind farms and the control center allowed for reliable data transition and reduced project costs.



Full article here:
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2014/07/case-study-using-opc-software-to-operate-wind-farms-in-spain

Agelbert NOTE: Fossil fuel power plants are NOT available for power production an average of 12.5% of the time. The next time some idiot tells you Renewable Energy is intermittent, ask them, AS OPPOSED TO WHAT? And nuclear power plants are DOWN more than 12.5% of the time!

Source: Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute.
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:37

AGelbert

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 36274
  • Location: Colchester, Vermont
    • Renwable Revolution
Re: Microgrids
« Reply #4 on: August 12, 2014, 07:24:01 pm »


US State Breaks Ground on a "Perfect" Solar + Storage Microgrid that Can Provide Resilient Power

Another first for Vermont as the state breaks ground on a project that combines solar and energy storage in a microgrid funded through a unique federal-state-utility-NGO partnership.
   


Jennifer Runyon, Chief Editor, RenewableEnergyWorld.com
August 12, 2014
         
Nashua, NH -- Today Green Mountain Power (GMP) broke ground on a solar plus energy storage microgrid in Rutland, Vermont with one expert calling it a "perfect" project. The 2.5-MW solar project is being developed in conjunction with Dynapower and GroSolar and includes 4 MW of battery storage, both lithium ion and lead acid, to integrate the solar generation into the local grid, and to provide resilient power in case of a grid outage.
Interested in microgrids? Sign up for our Microgrid Executive MBA Training Course with author and professor Mahesh Bhave. In this course, you will learn to evaluate project economics of microgrid projects in a variety of markets using case studies, financial models, and templates. Find more information here.

The companies said that this project is one of the first solar-only microgrids in the nation, and the first to provide full back-up to an emergency shelter on the distribution network. “Solar power and battery storage will provide clean reliable power to a school that serves as an emergency shelter, helping a community cope with loss of power in a future disaster,” said Lewis Milford, president of Clean Energy Group, which manages the Clean Energy States Alliance.

Green Mountain Power has set a goal of making Rutland, VT the solar capital of New England and this project, which is also being developed on a brownfield site thereby revitalizing a depressed area, will help it meet that goal.

“This project is a national model for the future of clean energy – combining solar with energy storage,” said Dr. Imre Gyuk, Energy Storage Program Manager in the DOE's Office of Electricity Delivery. “This project provides resilient power during emergencies while benefitting the grid at other times. The technical innovations will reduce cost and make the project commercially viable…. This is the perfect project! It has social value, technical innovation, and furthers renewable integration for the grid.”

Gyuk, who said he was in "an excellent mood" after the groundbreaking event on Tuesday, continued: "This project has everything and in particular, it has total buy-in [from federal, state, and local government agencies as well as industry and the utility]."

Gyuk said the the cost recovery for this project will come largely through services to the grid. "During non-emergency periods, [the energy storage] is simply there to make the grid smoother," he said. Gyuk is particularly interested in how utilities will value grid resiliency and said that this project will help further that discussion. "Emergency services are more difficult to monitize," he explained.

In terms of the value of energy storage, "frequency regulation has now become a commerially viable business," said Gyuk. This isn't only because it has been demonstrated to work technically but also because FERC realized the value of doing it fast and with clean energy, he said. Gyuk estimates that frequency regulation with energy storage is valued at roughly twice what frequency regulation is when it's done with fossil fuels.   ;D

The energy storage component of this project is co-funded by a federal-state-NGO partnership involving the State of Vermont; the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Electricity; and the Energy Storage Technology Advancement Partnership (ESTAP), a project managed by Clean Energy States Alliance and Sandia National Laboratories.

GMP said that the project puts Vermont in the forefront of the new movement toward microgrids, energy storage, and grid modernization. Solar + storage and microgrid technologies are poised to revolutionize resilient power, bringing clean, locally-generated power to communities all over the world. These systems can keep critical facilities, such as emergency shelters, firehouses and fueling stations, operating when the grid goes down.

There is a great need for such resilient power solutions, as shown by recent disasters like Hurricane Sandy, which affected the entire eastern seaboard and left millions without electrical service. With this project, Vermont takes a giant step toward addressing this need, as well as meeting Vermont’s clean energy and emissions reduction goals.

The $10 million project is expected to be up and running by December 2014.

Editor's note: Want to learn how to design a microgrid? Sign up for RenewableEnergyWorld.com's Microgrid Executive MBA Training Course with author and professor Mahesh Bhave. In this course, you will learn to evaluate project economics of microgrid projects in a variety of markets using case studies, financial models, and templates. Find more information at link below.

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2014/08/us-state-launches-solar-storage-microgrid-that-can-provide-backup-power

My comment:

A. G. Gelbert
August 12, 2014

As a resident of Vermont and GMP customer, I celebrate this prudent, wise, profitable and sustainable course of action. Thank you, GMP, for acting sanely while surrounded by an insane U.S. energy industry.

Perhaps logical thinking will catch on in the rest of the country in general and the utilities in particular. But I'm not holding my breath.

Not discussed in most energy web sites and threads is the FACT that many, many people like myself are QUITE WILLING to accept all kinds of WWII type restrictions on energy use in order to go 100% renewable energy. That is, I am willing to ACCEPT an INSTANT and PERMANENT elimination of grid power for 75% of the day, every day. Also a 2 gallon per day LIMIT on TOTAL gasoline/heating oil/ equivalent cubic feet of natural gas consumption. WE ARE READY TO DO IT NOW!

Just IMAGINE the HUGE drop in national energy use if we ALL did that and anybody who wanted more HAD to get it from renewable energy, not fossil fuels or nuclear power. And NO MORE DIRTY ENERGY SUBSIDIES OF ANY KIND!

But in our idiotic "we cannot slow down the economy for a silly thing like having a viable biosphere" world, these OBVIOUS rapid fixes to get off dirty energy in less than a decade just never get traction.

Obvious and sane behavior needs to become part of the USA again. I hope GMP is showing the way.
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:37

AGelbert

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 36274
  • Location: Colchester, Vermont
    • Renwable Revolution
Germany Added A Lot Of Wind And Solar Power, And Its Electric Grid Became More Reliable

Germany only lost 15.91 minutes of electricity per customer in 2012. That's better than most of its European neighbors, and much better than the U.S.

SNIPPET:

To hear its critics tell it, Germany’s ambitious push to switch over to renewable energy has delivered an electrical grid that’s capricious, unreliable, and prone to blackouts. But according to data highlighted by ECO Report last week, the reality on the ground couldn’t be further from that caricature.  :icon_mrgreen:

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/08/12/3470070/germany-reliable-grid-renewables/

Take THAT, Mr. REALITY challenged Mking who claims to only DO "nuts and bolts" math reality. Mking, proud member of magical thinkers for fossil fuel cornucopia! LOL!

And let us not forget our DEAR SWEET Nicole Foss who loudly warned and admonished as an ENERGY EXPERT that Germany's path was WRONG!   

He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:37

AGelbert

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 36274
  • Location: Colchester, Vermont
    • Renwable Revolution
Re: Microgrids
« Reply #6 on: February 05, 2015, 10:52:43 pm »
AC/DC: In the New Current Wars, Will Edison Win Out After All?
 
Posted February 3, 2015

In the late 1800s, as the United States embarked on a public effort to electrify the country, the “War of Currents” pitted Alternating Current (AC) power against Direct Current (DC) power. On one side was Thomas Edison, an advocate of DC power.  On the other side was George Westinghouse, who had acquired the patents for AC power held by Nikola Tesla. In the end, the capability of AC power to run at high voltage from large central generating stations over long distances with relatively inexpensive transformers to “step down” and “step up” the voltage made AC the victor, setting the industry standard. As the electric power sector modernizes, however, two substantial changes could signal a return to the war of currents.

First, declining costs and increasing options in distributed generation (DG) may offer an opportunity for microgrids and low-voltage transmission close to loads. These are the optimum conditions for the utilization of DC power, which can be more efficient than AC.

Second, improvements in battery technologies are driving down costs for localized energy storage. Batteries, which deliver DC power, offer many advantages to the electric system for supply side management, but also for demand side management. Eliminating spikes in demand could dramatically reduce expensive peak power generation needs.

Combining storage with distributed generation, DC-powered microgrids become a very attractive option for their system efficiency, reliability, resiliency, and ancillary benefits.

The truth is, a surprising amount of today’s electronic devices are already DC. When I plug in my laptop, what goes into the computer itself is DC power – the power cord contains an inverter to change the current from AC at the plug to DC at the device. Every smartphone or other electronic device that charges from a USB cable uses DC power. That little USB plug that you put in the wall – that’s an inverter.

Variable speed motors, which are much more efficient than fixed speed motors, contain DC inverters, because DC offers the flexibility to meet varying speed requirements.   

LED lights are also based on DC technology. The bulb contains a micro-inverter to change from AC to DC power, but at a cost. The conversion leads not only to reduction in efficiency, but also reduction in operable life. LEDs already last longer than incandescents and CFLs, but when they fail, it is the usually inverter that goes, not the bulb itself.

The biggest opportunity comes from the fact that the leading form of distributed generation, solar photovoltaic, creates electricity in DC. Now, solar owners need an inverter to get the power into AC for the grid and our AC-wired homes – again, at a cost. The typical derating of solar from nameplate capacity, from a variety of causes, is 23%, with roughly 8% of the reduction due to DC to AC conversion.   Furthermore, solar systems that feed directly into a DC storage system don’t require net metering, which has come under attack as solar installations have grown.

So, if much of our consumption requires DC power and distributed generation technologies generate DC,why should we lose so much energy by converting the current to AC and then back to DC? What if we turned the system around, inverting only where AC is required instead of DC? From an energy standpoint, that may be the future. 

At the Devil’s Thumb Ranch, an eco-resort in the mountains of Colorado, Schneider Electric teamed up with advanced energy engineering firm PosEn to transform almost 200,000 square feet of buildings from standard AC to a DC microgrid system with lithium-ion battery storage and intelligent controls, along with distributed generation.   

At a new barn and veterinary facility built to use only DC power, the system powers a well pump, motors, lighting, and trough heaters in a harsh environment (it gets down to -40 degrees F).  The power consumption of the facility was originally designed for about 10kW of AC – but that dropped to just 3.2kW utilizing locally generated DC power, sophisticated energy management, and energy storage.

There are other advantages to low voltage DC as well. Take the laptop power cord.  If you were to cut the cord and grab the wires on the AC side of the adapter, you would get a nasty shock. You would also create a fire danger. But on the DC side, cutting the cord would not cause a fire, and the shock would be much less. (Still, don’t try this at home). Wider utilization of low voltage DC would also make electrical work safer and easier. The National Electric Code (NEC), that is the standard across the country requires a licensed electrician to do work involving AC power – but low voltage DC can be done safely by a knowledgeable layperson, reducing construction and remodeling costs.

Or take local distribution lines. Those wires that run from pole to pole are expensive to maintain and are exposed to the risk of falling tree limbs in storms, but the cost of putting them under ground is prohibitive. Low voltage DC lines can be undergrounded for much lower cost – giving the community a highly resilient distribution system without unsightly wires.

With all of these benefits of DC in a changing technology landscape where on-site DC generation and DC-powered devices are both growing in popularity, we could see a return to the current wars – and this time, Edison just may win.

Used under a Creative Commons license
.
http://theenergycollective.com/tom-plant/2188861/acdc-new-current-wars-will-edison-win-out-after-all
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:37

AGelbert

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 36274
  • Location: Colchester, Vermont
    • Renwable Revolution
Re: Microgrids
« Reply #7 on: March 15, 2016, 10:25:02 pm »
03/14/2016 01:10 PM         

First Peer-to-Peer Solar Network Forms in Brooklyn, NY   

SustainableBusiness.com News
 
Have you ever thought of this possibility? You have too much shade on your roof for solar panels, but your neighbors have plenty of sun, producing more than they need. Why not buy electricity from their solar arrays instead of from the grid?

A new microgrid network in Brooklyn, New York is doing exactly that, developing a peer-to-peer solar network where neighbors can buy and sell solar and wind energy.

This is the first step toward transforming how energy is bought and sold.
The Brooklyn Microgrid runs on Ethereum, a technology created for secure Bitcoin transactions. It monitors energy flows through the system and allows residents to buy and sell energy on the peer-to-peer network.

"It's pretty hands off - as we think that will suit consumers best - but in the future we plan to enable people to set preferences to maximise savings, do good in the community, and sell energy cheaper to low income areas."

Developing a network like this is complicated right now. It requires contracts, financing, network designs, for example, but that will work itself out over time.
 
Last year, SolarCity launched GridLogic, where they design and operate custom turn-key microgrids that combine locally-produced solar, batteries (from Tesla) and energy management.
 

Benefits of Microgrids

Microgrids - small, community-based energy systems that are independent from the grid - are taking off by the thousands across the US, and NY State in particular, supports a transition to distributed energy.
 
"Communities are taking an important first step toward securing their energy future. By ensuring a continuous energy supply, medical facilities and communities can more reliably provide critical services and be better protected in the event that disaster strikes. I encourage communities across the state to participate in the NY Prize program to make their energy systems stronger and more resilient," says Governor Cuomo.

Microgrids hook up to the central utility grid, but don't rely on it and can be disconnected during a storm - protecting members from power outages.

During Superstorm Sandy, residents with solar systems were distraught when they couldn't get electricity during the storm. That's because they were hooked to the grid and for safety purposes, the connection had to be turned off to protect people from being electrocuted when working on transmission lines.

A microgrid takes care of that problem because it continues to run even when the grid connection is turned off. 

Another benefit of microgrids is that energy isn't lost as it travels long distances through transmission lines.

About 6% of the electricity generated from central power plants is lost, according to the US Energy Information Administration.

"This whole concept benefits the area you live in. By buying energy locally, rather than from a national entity, the money goes back into the pockets of people in the community," explains Joseph Lubin, co-founder of Transactive Grid.

"For so long, we have been beholden to the big energy companies and the take up of renewable energy has been held back by traditional business models. We want to give people another option."

Connecticut is building a state-wide microgrid and New Jersey has the first microgrid for a transit system. California is spending $26.5 million in grants for microgrid projects, and the military is very active on microgrids, even experimenting with tethering them together.

Read our article, Consortium Forms to Accelerate Microgrids in US.
http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/26573
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:37

AGelbert

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 36274
  • Location: Colchester, Vermont
    • Renwable Revolution
Re: Microgrids
« Reply #8 on: February 10, 2017, 07:10:57 pm »
Top 5 Hybrid Energy News (Solar- and Wind-Diesel-Hybrid + Microgrids) – November 2016 by THEnergy

mining · islands · minigrids · microgrids · solar-diesel-hybrid · wind-diesel-hybrid · energy-storage

The November edition of our “Top 5 Hybrid Energy News” features Tesla, SolarCity, Redavia, Shanta Gold, New Sun Road, Microsoft, Leonardo DiCaprio’s Blackadore Caye Resort, Omni Power and Astronergy. In the past month, we have seen interesting microgrid projects on islands, solar for the mining industry and a large-scale commercial PV solution for post-offices in Bangladesh.
 

Top 1
Tesla Powers American Samoan Island With Solar-Storage Microgrid

Tesla and SolarCity have deployed a solar plus storage microgrid on the island of Ta’u located more than 4,000 miles from the U.S. West Coast. Before, the island had suffered power rationing and outages. The microgrid consists of a 1.4 MW PV array and 6 MWh of battery storage from 60 Tesla Powerpacks. Diesel gensets are only used as back-up.

http://www.decentralized-energy.com/articles/2016/11/american-samoan-island-powered-by-solar-storage-microgrid.html

 
Top 2
Redavia to Expand Its Shanta Gold Mine PV Project to 672kW in Tanzania

The expansion project is the second phase of a two-phased process to increase New Luika's use of solar energy. The existing 63kW rental solar power plant built in 2014 will be extended by 609kW. Work on the expansion plant has already begun and will continue into 2017.

https://www.miningreview.com/news/redavia-to-boost-solar-capacity-at-new-luika-gold-mine/

"Shanta Gold's decision to expand Redavia's rental solar farm to more than ten-fold is strong proof that rental solar makes sense for off-grid mines”, comments Erwin Spolders, CEO of Redavia.

 
Top 3
Microsoft Supported Start-up New Sun Road Powers Islands in Southern Uganda

The 50,000 inhabitants of the Ssese Islands in Uganda depend largely on the fishing industry. New Sun Road built solar microgrids that substituted costly diesel energy and provides reliable power supply for the local industry.

http://nextbillion.net/an-opportunity-for-small-businesses-expanding-affordable-internet-access-grant-applications-open-today/

“New Sun Road’s project delivers affordable, clean energy and productive services to rural small businesses, many of them operated by women. We believe their solution will massively scale in the years to come due to their significant investments in leveraging the power of big data, the cloud, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to deliver clean energy and connectivity more efficiently and effectively”, explains Kevin Connolly, Business Development at Microsoft Affordable Access Initiative. Jalel Sager, Director of New Sun Road adds: “Uganda has all the right conditions for a vibrant solar market—lots of off-grid users, plenty of sunshine, and fluency in mobile money. Once its small-power producer regulations become firmer and more evenly enforced, we can expect to see a very quick uptake.”
 
Top 4   
Leonardo DiCaprio’s Island Resort in Belize Will Be Powered By Renewables 

Blackadore Caye Resort off the Atlantic coast of Belize was planned by Denniston International Architects & Planners Ltd. There will be 36 residential estate homes and 36 bookable bungalows spread over the island's 104 acres. Solar panels will be installed to generate as much renewable energy as possible. 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-11-07/leonardo-dicaprio-s-private-island-resort-blackadore-caye-belize 

This could be an interesting reference for renewable energy players. If DiCaprio is ambitious, he could create another flagship example for renewables on islands, like Over Yonder Cay of the Bosarge Family Office, Richard Branson’s Necker Island or Club Med’s Gasfinolhu Island.

 
Top 5
Omni Power equips 8,500 post offices in Bangladesh with solar

The PV installations will provide a reliable off grid power source to post offices in remote regions where power cuts or lack of grid connection are a problem. The Bangladeshi Government will cover the costs, which amount to US$20 million. Many PV plants will reduce diesel consumption. The PV modules will be delivered by Astronergy.

http://www.pv-magazine.com/news/details/beitrag/astronergy-equips-bangladesh-post-offices-with-solar-modules_100026894/#ixzz4S8xisbAY

 

If you want to receive the news earlier, please follows us on TWITTER:
 https://twitter.com/THEnergyNet.
 Also use likes and retweets on Twitter to show which of the Top 5 news you like best! All likes and retweets are added up; the result will be published in our NEWSLETTER!
 Sign up for our NEWSLETTER at http://www.th-energy.net/newsletter-1/
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:37

AGelbert

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 36274
  • Location: Colchester, Vermont
    • Renwable Revolution
Re: Microgrids
« Reply #9 on: March 16, 2017, 06:27:26 pm »


Growing the Minigrid Market in Sub-Saharan Africa

Download Report at link:

http://www.rmi.org/energy_within_reach
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:37

AGelbert

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 36274
  • Location: Colchester, Vermont
    • Renwable Revolution
Re: Microgrids
« Reply #10 on: April 25, 2018, 06:11:41 pm »


Finding Island Grid Resilience with Advanced Software Systems

April 23, 2018

By Jennifer Delony Associate Editor

resilience

Grid operators on the islands of O'ahu and Puerto Rico are working with advanced software providers to help them understand how their transmission and distribution systems function with increasing amounts of distributed energy resources (DER), as they seek a cleaner, more resilient power infrastructure.

Hawaiian Electric Co. on April 18 said it will collaborate with Toronto, Ontario-based Opus One Solutions to integrate and manage increasing levels of customer energy resources on the O'ahu grid.

According to the companies, Opus One’s GridOS Dynamic Hosting Capacity software will help Hawaiian Electric system operators understand the level of DERs that can be accommodated on a feeder line in near real-time to optimize grid assets and DERs, while maintaining reliable service.   

“Opus One Solutions reduces the need for significant infrastructure upgrades by leveraging the value of DERs to the grid, while also accommodating the interest for increased DER penetration,” Joshua Wong, president and CEO of Opus One, said in a statement.

About one-third of O'ahu’s single-family homes already use private rooftop solar.

In Puerto Rico, where full power has not been restored since hurricanes hit the main island in September 2017, Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) will get help from software that simulates large-scale DER integration in an effort to modernize its grid.

       
Wind Farm in Puerto Rico

PREPA on April 17 entered into a memorandum of understanding with the New York State Smart Grid Consortium (NYSSGC) and ProsumerGrid, Inc., to assist with Puerto Rico’s long-term grid planning efforts.

“Redesigning and modernizing Puerto Rico’s electric system will go well beyond rebuilding the previously existing grid infrastructure or randomly adding more renewable resources,” Jim Gallagher, executive director of NYSSGC, said. “There are a number of complex and structural issues that must be addressed to support strategic resiliency, economic, and environmental objectives.

Atlanta-based ProsumerGrid said it will use its Distributed System Operator (DSO) Simulation Studio to provide integrated simulation capabilities for the island transmission and distribution system with large amounts of DERs and smart grid subsystems, such as microgrids, aggregators, and consumers who both produce and consume energy.


https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/2018/04/finding-island-grid-resilience-with-advanced-software-systems.html

Oriana Solar Farm, a 45 megawatt (MW) AC (58 MW) solar power plant in Isabela, Puerto Rico is the largest solar power plant in the Caribbean.
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:37

AGelbert

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 36274
  • Location: Colchester, Vermont
    • Renwable Revolution
Re: Microgrids
« Reply #11 on: July 23, 2018, 08:59:11 pm »

Being A “B Corp” Also Benefits Green Mountain Power’s Bottom Line

July 23rd, 2018 by John Farrell

Originally published at ilsr.org.

For most businesses, profit is the bottom line. Conventional wisdom suggests that concerns about social and environmental impacts, though well-intended, can distract from a public company’s legal obligation to reward shareholders.

But if this conventional wisdom were true, Vermont’s Green Mountain Power ought to be lagging behind its investor-owned electric utility peers. Instead, since the utility company was certified as a benefit corporation (B Corp) in 2014, Green Mountain Power has found financial success while maintaining social and environmental sustainability: a triple bottom line.

To become a B Corporation, a company must meet the environmental and social standards of the non-profit group B Lab. On its B Impact Report, Green Mountain Power qualified with especially high scores in its workplace and environmental performance.

Green Mountain Power Today

Despite engaging in conventionally “poor” business practices, the following charts show that Green Mountain Power’s net income is still growing, and even outpacing peers in the utility industry. The first chart shows Green Mountain Power’s income growth, the second shows how it is outpacing investor-owned utility peers, based on an index of investor-owned utilities as tracked by the Edison Electric Institute.




What has kept business profitable for Green Mountain Power as a B-Corp?

Since we interviewed Green Mountain Power CEO Mary Powell for our Local Energy Rules podcastin 2016, the company has started several new initiatives.

Green Power timeline

June 2016


Off-Grid Package

Green Mountain Power offers an Off-Grid package, where with a combination of rooftop solar and storage, customers become energy independent from the utility company. Creating a microgrid lowers prices for customers by reducing maintenance costs and softening the demand for … Read More


August 2017


Recertification As A Benefit Corporation

Three years after first being certified as a B Corp, Green Mountain Power received a recertification from B Labs for upholding commitments to transparency, community, their employees, their customers, and the environment.


December 2017


Middlebury Service Center Low-Income Solar Array

This solar array, built in partnership with Suncommon Solar, is part of an initiative to make solar accessible to people with low-to moderate-income. Half of this solar array is reserved for Green Mountain Power customers who are at, or below, … Read More


February 2018


Named #1 Innovative Company In The Energy Sector
Fast Company Media named Green Mountain Power as the #1 most innovative energy company in their 2018 report.


April 2018

Recognition For Energy Storage Leadership

The Smart Electric Power Alliance ranked Green Mountain Power as #10 in the country for most energy storage installed per year and total installed per customer.


Future of Green Mountain Power

Four years is short time within the business cycle to make any strong conclusions, but Green Mountain Power continues to prove that valuing people and planet, along with profit, can be profitable for an electric utility.

The company isn’t stopping, either. In early 2018, Green Mountain Power advanced a plan to halve their current greenhouse gas emissions.

Despite Green Mountain Power’s success, no other utilities have followed suit. But if utility CEOs want a business model that can combine customer service with profitability, this Vermont company may be a model to follow.

For more on Green Mountain Power and how it became a Benefit Corporation, see our podcast from Local Energy Rules or this post about GMP’s history and process of becoming a B Corp.

This article originally posted at ilsr.org. For timely updates, follow John Farrell or Marie Donahue on Twitter or get the Energy Democracy weekly update. Also check out over 50 episodes of the Local Energy Rules podcast!


https://cleantechnica.com/2018/07/23/being-a-b-corp-also-benefits-green-mountain-powers-bottom-line/
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:37

AGelbert

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 36274
  • Location: Colchester, Vermont
    • Renwable Revolution
Re: Microgrids
« Reply #12 on: July 30, 2018, 07:50:25 pm »
Sonnen Demonstrates The Power Of Solar + Storage Microgrids In Puerto Rico

July 30th, 2018 by Kyle Field

Sonnen was one of the early movers to take its resources and solutions on the road to solve the problems caused by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, committing to bring 15 microgrid systems to the island.

Sonnen just announced that it has installed the 11th such system, in the mountainous Lares region of Puerto Rico. The system combines solar and a sonnen smart energy storage system that maintains the balance of generated power and incoming solar generation. The new system was installed in an abandoned school that has since been repurposed to provide housing for 14 families that lost their homes last year in Hurricane Maria.


Centros de Apoyo Mutuo led the effort to repurpose the school, which had been shuttered since 2014, as a shelter, which resulted in the 14 classrooms being converted to apartments for displaced families. The new sonnen microgrid servicing the school also provides power to a disaster relief and recovery center at the school, which provides support to the broader community on the longer journey to recover from the hurricane.

The repurposed school has become a beacon of light and hope for the community as a passionate group of local leaders aspires to open Puerto’s Rico’s first solar-powered café and theater at the school. This is a beautiful example of how restoring the base needs of a community can, at the same time, open the eyes of an entire generation to the potential of new energy technologies. The potential of solar and storage is only now starting to be realized and the power of the combined technologies is even larger for communities lacking stable power from a local grid.

“The residents of Puerto Rico, despite insurmountable challenges, have shown great strength and resolve in the face of adversity. Lares is an incredible example of harnessing available resources to establish sustainable practices that will serve the community for years to come,” said Adam Gentner, sonnen’s Director of Business Development, Latin American Expansion. “The adoption of solar + storage to aid in Puerto Rico’s disaster relief and recovery is another example of implementing energy independent solutions that will aid the island and its communities regardless of what energy challenges they face in the future.”

The microgrid installed in Lares is comprised of a smart energy storage system that makes use of  a sonnenBatterie eco 8 (4kw/8kWh) and eco 16 (8kW/16kWh), which was paired with a 9kW rooftop solar system provided by local partner and installer Pura Energía. The two batteries were initially deployed to Puerto Rico to provide short-term relief at another microgrid site before being installed in its permanent location in Lares.

The ability for solar-plus-storage microgrids to be rapidly installed after a disaster should be seen as a lesson to all first responder agencies going into any region affected by a disaster. It is a much more robust solution than relying on traditional generators that need a constant supply of gasoline or diesel to continue operations. Here in well developed Southern California, first responders, followed by the inevitable churn of insurance companies and financial institutions, were quick to bring out mobile trailers and tents supported by obnoxious diesel generators that showed just how behind the times they were.

“The recovery needs throughout Puerto Rico are constantly changing and by repurposing the sonnenBatterie units from the prior La Perla and Loiza sites, we are able to adapt to the long-term needs of the island and its residents,” said Gentner.

Solar-plus-storage isn’t just cheaper, it also allows for one-way shipments, where companies can send down a portable microgrid system and follow sonnen’s lead in donating the system to a local non-profit, community center or government to avoid the non-value add return shipping on what will then be a used system. sonnen’s example in rapidly deploying microgrids, then finding a home for them on the island for the long haul has added significant value to the community of Lares and more broadly across Puerto Rico.

“This solar project is going to energize more than just the farmers and their families.  Our facilities will make jobs available for the area’s youth and will allow us to offer art therapy to help residents cope with the aftermath of the hurricane,” said Elisa Sanchez, site manager for the Lares community.  “Thanks to the incredible support of partners like sonnen, we are able to go beyond our primary goal of housing area families, but also restore a sense of community and culture.”

The Lares microgrid is the 11th such system sonnen ⚡ and Pura Energía ⚡ have installed in Puerto Rico since the hurricane, with more on the way. Including the physical components of the system, sonnen and Pura Energía have donated more than $350,000 via the del Sol Foundation for Energy Security to the people of Puerto Rico. 💐 🌞

https://cleantechnica.com/2018/07/30/sonnen-demonstrates-the-power-of-solar-storage-microgrids-in-puerto-rico/
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:37

AGelbert

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 36274
  • Location: Colchester, Vermont
    • Renwable Revolution
Re: Microgrids
« Reply #13 on: August 01, 2018, 05:59:37 pm »
The Tesla Grid Controller Debuts, Helping Samoa Toward 100% Renewable Electricity Goal ✨

July 31st, 2018 by Kyle Field


Article with the above video:

https://cleantechnica.com/2018/07/31/the-tesla-grid-controller-debuts-helping-samoa-toward-100-renewable-electricity-goal/
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:37

 

+-Recent Topics

Future Earth by AGelbert
March 30, 2022, 12:39:42 pm

Key Historical Events ...THAT YOU MAY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF by AGelbert
March 29, 2022, 08:20:56 pm

The Big Picture of Renewable Energy Growth by AGelbert
March 28, 2022, 01:12:42 pm

Electric Vehicles by AGelbert
March 27, 2022, 02:27:28 pm

Heat Pumps by AGelbert
March 26, 2022, 03:54:43 pm

Defending Wildlife by AGelbert
March 25, 2022, 02:04:23 pm

The Koch Brothers Exposed! by AGelbert
March 25, 2022, 01:26:11 pm

Corruption in Government by AGelbert
March 25, 2022, 12:46:08 pm

Books and Audio Books that may interest you 🧐 by AGelbert
March 24, 2022, 04:28:56 pm

COVID-19 🏴☠️ Pandemic by AGelbert
March 23, 2022, 12:14:36 pm