HOMER Energy Year in Review 2016
As we complete the first month of 2017, HOMER Energy takes a moment to look back to the highlights of an incredible year.
Last year started with a bang as HOMER Energy released HOMER Pro 3.5 and its much anticipated HOMER Optimizer™ in February. This feature added an original optimization algorithm that significantly simplifies the design process for identifying least-cost options for a microgrid system. Also in February, CEO Dr. Peter Lilienthal started his packed schedule of speaking engagements, trainings, and participation in global conferences and events, speaking at the Industry of Things World USA 2016 in San Francisco and at the Shuraako Somali Renewable Energy Forum 2016, in Hargeisa, Somaliland.
In March 2016, HOMER Energy, in partnership with Meister Consultants Group (MCG), completed a World Bank project to assess the impact of increased RE penetration in four OECS countries (St Lucia, Dominica, Antigua & Barbuda, and St Kitts & Nevis). At the same time, Dr. Lilienthal continued his travels, speaking at the Remote Area Power Supply conference (recurring next month) in Melbourne and participating in the New York Smart Solar DG Hub advisory board meeting.
The newly redesigned Microgrid News & Insight newsletter was launched in April with a well-received April/May premiere issue. That month, Dr. Lilienthal spoke at the IEEE Greentech Conference, the ACI Microgrid Conference, and the DOE’s quarterly microgrid meetings. He also participated in a Modeling and Simulation Roadmap workshop with the U.S. Marine Corps in Quantico, Virginia.
May 2016 saw the release of HOMER Pro 3.6, a release that added two critical features to the software. Multi-Year Inputs allows users to model changes that can occur over the course of a project, such as PV degradation, grid price escalation, load growth, and fuel prices. Advanced Storage includes rate-dependent losses, changes in capacity with temperature, variable depth-of-discharge for cycle life, and increased degradation rate at higher temperatures.
Meanwhile, Dr. Lilienthal traversed the globe, starting with a stop in Mexico City in May for the 5th Annual MIREC Week conference, at which he presented a “microgrid expert masterclass.” He went on to conduct two training workshops at the World Bank’s microgrid conference in Nairobi. He also spoke at Asian Utility Week in Bangkok at the end of May/1st of June and gave a video interview. He then traveled to Manila for a training workshop at the Asia Clean Energy Forum.
In partnership with Navigant Research, HOMER in June completed a project supporting the Inter-American Development Bank’s Sustainable Electricity in Haiti. The next month, HOMER Director of Energy Engineering John Glassmire led a day-long HOMER training for energy practitioners at GIZ’s Solar Hybrid Mini-grid Workshop in Nairobi, Kenya.
HOMER Pro 3.7, released in August 2016, introduced three new ways for users to supplement or replace the default load following and cycle charging strategies HOMER has used for decades. These new options included two Applications Programming Interfaces (APIs) for C++ and MATLAB that allow users to create their own dispatch algorithms, a new microgrid control strategy dispatch algorithm, and a generator order controller. Also in August, Glassmire presented “Modeling Microgrids with HOMER®: Capabilities and Benefits in the U.S. Grid-Connected Market” at the EPRI-Sandia Symposium on Secure and Resilient Microgrids in Baltimore, MD.
Dr. Lilienthal spoke at Solar Power International in September. His session, part of the “solar + storage” track, was titled “Advanced Modeling Software & Controls for Optimizing Solar Plus Energy Storage Systems.” He also presented at the NY-BEST Energy Storage Investment Conference.
November was a huge month for HOMER Energy. The company hosted the 4th Annual HOMER International Microgrid Conference in New York City, featuring sessions on a variety of relevant topics such as rebuilding Haitian microgrid after Hurricane Matthew. HOMER Pro 3.8 launched as did HOMER Pro en español. In addition to the HOMER conference, Dr. Lilienthal spoke at the NY-BEST Energy Technology conference and at the Energy Africa Conference, in Golden, Colorado. He closed the busy year with the Utility Variable Generation Interest Group Hybrid Power Systems Workshop in San Juan.
We’ve started 2017 just as ambitiously, with a brand-new Premium Support Package and new Component Partners Program. Stay up to date with the Microgrid News & Insight blog and newsletter!