This month the HOMER Tip provides everything you need to know to create a custom microgrid controller in HOMER Grid. A new feature in HOMER Grid allows you to create your own dispatch algorithm using MATLABⓇ. Learn how:
Lili Francklyn
“Driving on Sunshine”: Electrify America Invests in 30 Off-Grid Solar Powered Charging Stations in Rural California
Volkswagen subsidiary Electrify America is investing $2 million in portable, off-grid, solar electric vehicle charging stations. The charging stations will be deployed in rural California:
Elizabeth May Looks to Canada’s Green Future
Attorney, activist and member of the Canadian Parliament Elizabeth May led Canada’s Green Party for 13 years, stepping down in late 2019. We wanted to catch up with her and hear about her upcoming environmental priorities:
Electric Vehicle Battery Power Could Offset Residential Peak in Southern California Utility
A Southern California Edison study last fall found that simulated vehicle-to-grid charging by only 10 percent of customers could offset the utility’s entire residential peak load. While rapid growth of EV ownership is on track to put unprecedented stress on utility resources, the study suggests that using EVs as a “virtual power plant” can lessen the impact:
Solar Software/Summit 2020, Phoenix, AZ – POSTPONED – October 26-28
Join GTM & Folsom Labs for the 5th annual Solar Summit, focusing on solar operations and sales digitalization. Topics include machine learning and AI for large-scale O&M, restrategizing […]
CX Energy Conference & Exposition – new VIRTUAL conference – April 6-9
Join HOMER Energy at CxEnergy, an event focused on building Commissioning, Energy Management and Building Technologies. This event targets facilities managers, civil, mechanical and electrical engineers, HVAC and […]
Advances in Sustainable Energy and Fuels, New York, NY – POSTPONED to June 22-23, 2020
Join HOMER Energy at Sustainable Energy 2020 with its special focus on a sustainable path towards energy and fuels. This conference provides a platform to share new ideas […]
Electric Power, Denver, CO – POSTPONED INDEFINITELY
Join HOMER Energy at the Electric Power Conference & Exhibition targeting power industry stakeholders and decision makers including utilities, conventional power generators and service industries. The agenda includes […]
HOMER Tip: Importing Wind Speed Data into HOMER
In this month’s HOMER tip, we explain how to import data into the HOMER software, specifically for projects that include a wind resource. We also explain how to purchase and download high resolution wind data files from UL’s Windnavigator product site and import them into HOMER software:
Powering Patagonia Parks with Low Head Hydro Microgrids
In the wildest reaches of Patagonia, distributed energy experts are building microgrids that exploit the abundant low head hydro resources in the region. These systems are providing energy for amenities in some of the most magnificent new parks in the world:
3rd International Conference on Solar Technologies & Hybrid Mini Grids – POSTPONED (9/23-25 tentative new date)
Join us at the 3rd International Conference on Solar Technologies & Hybrid Mini Grids to Improve Energy Access. HOMER Energy CEO Dr. Peter Lilienthal will be on the […]
Dr. Peter Lilienthal Provides Ethiopia Mini-Grid Training with HOMER Software
HOMER Energy CEO Dr. Peter Lilienthal recently returned from Ethiopia, where he conducting a training on the HOMER software. Support to develop more mini-grids in rural areas is crucial to help Ethiopia expand energy access:
A Majority of Americans Believe Climate Change is the Most Important Issue Today
A recent poll by the American Psychological Association (APA) indicates that a majority of US adults (56%) believe that climate change is the most important issue facing us […]
Distributed Wind 2020, Washington DC, February 26-27
Distributed Wind Energy Association is a chance to learn what’s new in behind-the-meter distributed wind; the 9th annual conference will also look at new programs at DOE designed […]
Powering Africa Summit, Miami, February 24-26
The Powering Africa Summit is a US-based event focused on investment opportunities within Africa’s power sector, including everything from coal to renewables. What: Powering Africa SummitWhen: February […]
Solar Power & Energy Storage Denver, CO – February 24-26
Join HOMER Energy and the solar leadership of the Rocky Mountain region at Solar Power and Energy Storage Mountain West. Sponsored by the Colorado Solar & Storage Association (COSSA), the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), and the Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA). February 24-16 at the Hilton Denver City Center, in Denver, Colorado:
Santa Barbara Schools Look to Microgrids for Community Resilience and EV Charging
Plans are underway to build a microgrid for every one of 21 schools in the Santa Barbara Unified School District. Since the city is vulnerable to power outages from forest fires, earthquakes, heavy rains and mudslides, local officials want a more resilient power system. The Clean Coalition is leading the microgrid effort:
HOMER Tip: Using the new proposal creator in HOMER Grid
HOMER Grid has a new proposal creation feature that will help project developers create professional reports in a few clicks. Learn how to use this new feature to boost client confidence and sell distributed energy projects to partners and financiers. Learn how to create powerful, data rich presentations of your HOMER Grid modeling results with this tip:
“Agrivoltaics,” a win-win strategy combining solar and agriculture
Competing land use priorities have pitted farmers and renewable energy developers against each other. As solar deployment grows rapidly, those conflicts could become more common. But, innovations with dual-use solar projects can create wins for both agriculture and clean energy, as well as new revenue streams for financially strapped family farmers. Call it “agrivoltaics:”
Campus Energy 2020, February 10-14, Denver, CO
The annual Campus Energy conference is an important showcase for innovative community energy systems – especially those featuring Combined Heat & Power (CHP), renewable energy and other distributed energy resources. Join HOMER Energy CEO Dr. Peter Lilienthal at Campus Energy 2020 to learn about “Finding the Least Cost Mix of CHP, Renewables and Storage.”
Intersolar North America, February 4-6, 2020, San Diego
Join HOMER Energy at Intersolar North America on February 4-6 in San Diego. HOMER VP of Business Development Andy Kruse will be speaking about using the HOMER software to design solar+storage systems for C&I customers on Thursday, February 4. Contact us to arrange a demonstration:
DistribuTech, January 28 – 30, 2020 | San Antonio, TX
Join HOMER energy this month at DistribuTech. Taking place in San Antonio from January 28-30, DistribuTech presents the latest information, products and services that relate to utilities and the delivery of electricity. That includes distributed renewable energy, microgrids, their integration with our current electric grid and more:
California presses ahead with new microgrid plans
Unpopular power shutoffs to curb fire danger, and the catastrophic human and financial impact of wildfires is spurring California to move towards rapid development of microgrids. Now 20 new microgrids are slated for completion by the fall of 2020. The tribal microgrid at Blue Lake Rancheria demonstrates how these local power networks can continue to provide electricity when the main grid is down, saving lives and delivering emergency services:
UL Solutions Acquires HOMER Energy
UL, a global safety science leader, announced the acquisition of Boulder, Colorado-based HOMER Energy, the world leader in modeling and optimization software for microgrids. The acquisition combines UL’s experience and recognized thought leadership in solar, wind and battery technology with HOMER Energy’s system design capabilities. HOMER Energy employees will join UL’s existing Energy and Power Technologies Division:
Michigan launches new grid modernization program featuring microgrids
Grid modernization programs are moving forward in many states across the country, with Michigan’s the most recent. These programs are designed to increase reliance on clean, renewable energy and improve resilience. They are spurring a new interest in microgrids, as a means of delivering these changes to our energy sector:
A Model for Clean, Reliable Energy at One of the Nation’s Busiest Ports
Schneider Electric is building a microgrid at the 3,200 acre Port of Long Beach in California. The project is designed to cut fuel costs, reduce carbon emissions – by replacing diesel generators with renewable energy and storage – and boost the port’s resilience in the event of outages.
Distributed Energy Perspectives: Former CO Governor Bill Ritter
At the recent Distributed Energy conference in Denver, CO, keynote speaker Bill Ritter highlighted the actions of state governments, which he says are the leaders in forward-thinking clean energy policy. Transportation should be the next target for reducing carbon emissions, Ritter says, and states should be promoting renewable energy for rural Americans:
HOMER Energy Explores New Markets on China Trade Mission
HOMER Energy was recently among 16 energy companies chosen for an invitation-only trade mission to China, sponsored by the US-China Clean Tech Center. CEO Dr. Peter Lilienthal returned from the trip inspired and encouraged after making presentations about the HOMER distributed energy modeling software to approximately 1000 attendees in five different cities:
What is the value of resilience?
Microgrids and grid-tied distributed energy investments can improve resilience for electricity customers – even entire communities. But so far, determining the value of that resilience has proven to be elusive. At the recent Distributed Energy Conference in Denver, speakers discussed ways to view the value of resilience in both economic and human terms:
Distributed Energy Development is Progressing in the Caribbean
The Caribbean is one of the world’s fastest growing markets for renewable energy – partly because of the need for resilience in the face of increasingly destructive storms. HOMER Energy CEO Dr. Peter Lilienthal and VP of Business Development Andy Kruse recently attended two important conferences that focus on Caribbean distributed energy. They noted many new, high-quality projects underway, and they share their observations with us: