A new release of HOMER® Grid, energy modeling software for grid-connected hybrid power projects, enables users to rapidly calculate EV charging revenue. The new capability helps project developers reduce the time and uncertainty of evaluating the ROI of a proposed, site-specific, renewable energy-plus-storage powered charging station, maximize the project’s value, and demonstrate that value to customers. Additional updates include the addition of California’s new Net Energy Metering (NEM) 3.0 tariffs and the ability to import project production data from other design software. Learn more at the webinar on Sept. 28, 2023. Read more for details.
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Fort Collins Deploys a Microgrid for Resilience and Carbon Dioxide Reduction at the Northside Aztlan Community Center
The city of Fort Collins, Colorado has deployed a new microgrid on a community center. It will provide resilience in emergencies, aid in carbon reduction and provide grid services to the municipal utility.
2023 Renewable Energy Grid Integration Week
UL Solutions is a proud supporter of the 2023 Renewable Energy Grid Integration Week. The events will be held on the Lyngby campus of the Technical University of Denmark – DTU from September 25-28, 2023. Join us for the 7th E-Mobility Power System Integration Symposium and the 22nd Wind & Solar Integration Workshop.
Powering the coming surge of electric vehicles with renewable energy
The coming surge of electric vehicles is going to create massive new demand for EV charging stations. And that in turn is going to create greater nationwide demand for electricity and a challenge for the aging U.S. grid. In a new article in Microgrid Knowledge, Peter Lilienthal, creator of the HOMER software, explains how HOMER Grid can help solve that problem:
Electrify Your Parking Lot: Successfully forecast EV charging revenue and cost in seven easy steps
Join the HOMER Software team on September 28th, 2023 at 10:30 AM MDT to discover how to take the guesswork out of forecasting EV charging revenue and costs in this educational webinar. As electric vehicles (EVs) sweep the nation, the future of parking is paved with economic opportunities. But it’s not as easy as installing direct current fast charging and getting the needed power supply. Distributed generation-plus-storage systems offer a quicker — and in most cases better and less costly — solution than power grid upgrades. But how do you evaluate the return on investment of adding distributed energy-powered EV charging stations?
Hotel Marcel combines historic architecture, energy efficiency and a renewably powered microgrid
The Bauhaus-style Hotel Marcel is a historic architectural landmark in New Haven, Connecticut. Architect Bruce Becker remodeled the building, which had stood empty for two decades, turning it into highly efficient, top-rated Connecticut hotel and adding a microgrid modeled using HOMER Grid.
Energy & Mobility Technology, Systems and Value Chain
An event over a decade in the making, ENERGY & MOBILITY: Technology, Systems, and Value Chain that is taking place from September 12-15, 2023 has evolved from the Cleveland based […]
Join UL Solutions at RE+ 2023
Join us for presentations and software demos to learn about the latest advancements in HOMER software at RE+ 2023. Stop by UL Solutions booth #355 to see how HOMER software helps you conquer modeling EV charging infrastructure, hydrogen production and utility-scale storage. Get the latest on how to maximize project value and accelerate the design-to-build process.
Think Microgrid Policy Summit: Overcoming Barriers to Microgrid Adoption
In its 2023 Microgrid Policy Summit, the industry coalition Think Microgrid assembled experts from the industry to explore policy hurdles that are slowing microgrid development. Learn more about the issues they reported.
HOMER Grid 1.10 new EV charging and tariff features are now available
Electric vehicles are expected to sweep the nation, creating a critical need for businesses to consider EV charging infrastructure and calculate the potential revenue of adding EV charging. That’s one reason we’re super excited to roll out the new version 1.10 of HOMER Grid software, which includes a cutting-edge revenue calculator for EV charging stations, as well as new NEM 3.0 tariffs and the ability to import multiple solar and wind production data files.
Qatar Desert Farm is Powered by Renewable Energy Microgrid
A HOMER-modeled microgrid powers an off-grid desert farm in Qatar, designed by the Qatar Environment and Energy Institute (QEERI).
German Engineers Without Borders Brings Light and Sanitation to Malawi Schools Using Renewable Energy
Students at the Chambala school in Malawi now have electricity to power lights and electronics. Installed by Engineers Without Borders, Germany, the project also includes education about renewable energy.
Growth Expectations in the Microgrid Market
The Danish proverb goes: “It’s difficult to make predictions, especially about the future.” But clear signals in the microgrid industry point toward accelerated growth on an unprecedented scale. Which microgrid market will have the most growth in 2023 and why?
Namibia Marble Factory Achieves Substantial Cost Savings by Going Off the Grid
A off-grid marble factory in Namibia — modeled with UL Solutions HOMER® Pro — is costing its owners about half of what they would pay for electricity from the grid. As an added benefit, the renewable energy microgrid is more reliable than grid power.
Message from the Founder of HOMER Software – March 2023
Microgrid activity is heating up here in the U.S. In this newsletter, we highlight the growing role of microgrids for resilience and the expected impact of the Inflation Reduction Act. Now that the vulnerability of the larger grid has become more apparent, microgrids are becoming the go-to resource for critical facilities and infrastructure everywhere and for whole communities in disaster-prone areas such as California. One such critical facility is the Oregon National Guard’s Nesmith Readiness Center in Dallas, Oregon. The Oregon National Guard recently added long-duration energy storage to its existing solar array to provide resilience in preparation for a major earthquake and tsunami expected to strike in the next 50 years.
Join Us at the Microgrid Knowledge 2023 Conference
Join us from May 16-17, 2023 in Anaheim, California for the Microgrid Knowledge 2023 Conference conference to explore the markets, technologies, policies and customer benefits emerging as we decentralize our energy supply and electrify buildings and transportation. HOMER Software founder, Peter Lilienthal, will be presenting during the “Fending Off Climate Disasters with Microgrids” session on ‘Resilience Hubs: powering energy equity in climate disasters and year-round’.
Oregon National Guard Center Operates a Microgrid to Provide Resilience in Case of Earthquake
The Oregon National Guard is preparing for a major earthquake and tsunami, expected to strike the Pacific Northwest within the next 50 years. A microgrid operating at the Guard’s Nesmith Readiness Center in Dallas will provide resilience and serve as a blueprint for upgrading other facilities.
Remote Microgrids Become a Reality in Isolated Communities and Fire-prone Areas
A remote microgrid is successfully powering Briceburg, California, a small community in a high-risk wildfire region. Built by BoxPower using HOMER software, the hybrid power system is part of PG&E’s remote grid program.
Message from the Founder of HOMER Software – December 2022
Dear Readers, As this year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference — COP27 — comes to a close, it is timely that the discussions coincide with the passage of […]
“Resilience Hubs” arise in neighborhoods nationwide to provide renewable power and disaster support during power outages
Many U.S. cities are implementing Resilience Hubs to provide emergency services during extreme weather events and power outages. The city of Detroit, Michigan is building a network of hubs to help residents of neighborhoods that are vulnerable to flooding.
UL Solutions Releases New Features for HOMER® Grid Modeling Software to Enable More Detailed Cost Evaluations for Grid-tied Microgrids
A new release of HOMER Grid, energy modeling software for grid-connected hybrid power projects, enables more detailed cost calculations. HOMER Grid 1.9 also facilitates setting utility tariffs. The new features allow energy professionals to complete more accurate cost and performance evaluations for a specific distributed energy project. Learn more at a Dec 7, 2022 HOMER Grid webinar.
HOMER Grid new release 1.9 webinar recording now available on-demand
The demand for distributed generation with energy storage is surging — and for good reason: these grid-connected microgrids are the go-to solution for today’s energy challenges. New features in HOMER Grid release 1.9 — the trusted software for designing grid-connected distributed generation projects — make it easier than ever to critically evaluate the costs and performance of energy storage and solar, as well as evolving utility tariffs. Join our HOMER Grid team on December 7th at 9 AM MT for a demonstration of the new features in HOMER Grid.
Alaska Researchers Explore Turning Excess Renewable Energy Production into Heat
University of Alaska researchers are developing methods to help evaluate beneficial matches between excess renewable energy production and heat loads in rural Alaskan communities.
U.S. Inflation Reduction Act: Impacts on Renewable Energy
In a recent impact analysis of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), UL Solutions cited renewables industry trade group American Clean Power’s statistic that, with the passing of the IRA, roughly 40% of the country’s electricity will come from wind, solar and energy storage by 2030. Overall, the demand for energy storage installations and hybrid systems stands to explode.
Message from the Founder of HOMER Software – September 2022
Activity continues to move microgrids and hybrid power systems forward. The big news here in the U.S. is the passage of major climate legislation, the Inflation Reduction Act. In our article discussing the law, we focus on the transformational impact of the new policies. We expect it to accelerate the adoption of clean energy in the U.S. and I hope the law encourages other measures around the world.
Shungnak, Alaska, unveils one of the state’s first microgrids with solar above the Arctic Circle*
The town of Shungnak, Alaska – north of the Arctic Circle – is cutting energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions with a new microgrid. Shungnak is gradually replacing diesel generation with a hybrid power system that includes solar and energy storage.
UL Solutions at ACP Resource & Technology Conference 2022
Join us from September 7-9, 2022 in Las Vegas to share and discover cutting-edge technological innovations and advancements in the area of renewable energy assessment and performance and reliability improvements. We will be exhibiting on the show floor and presenting during a panel discussion. We hope to see you there.
Attitudes about How to Address Climate Change Slowing Progress
I have categorized attitudes about climate change into four buckets.
1. Magic bullet
2. Throw everything at the wall
3. Our grandchildren will be much more prosperous and will have the resources to deal with it
4. Let’s do the easy stuff first
Call for Stories: New Series on Microgrid and Hybrid Power Projects Announced
The editors of Microgrid News seek projects from HOMER® software customers for the new “Microgrid and Hybrid Power Project Spotlight” series for the online and newsletter editions of Microgrid News — with a distribution of more than 60,000 subscribers.
Message from the Founder of HOMER Software – June 2022
In this newsletter, I am excited to share that on June 27, 2022, UL enterprise revealed new brands for three organizations – UL Research Institutes, UL Standards & Engagement and UL Solutions. These brands reflect and clarify the unique roles that each organization plays in carrying forward our shared mission of working for a safer world — a mission that has guided us for 128 years.