HOMER Founder Message

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.

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.

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.

Message from the Founder – April 2022

The big news is our new collaboration with the Microgrid Knowledge annual conference. With the surging interest in microgrids, the time is right for the leaders in microgrid education to work together to further the rapid advancement of microgrids. I am honored to have been asked to present the winners of the Microgrid Greater Good Awards at the Microgrid 2022 annual conference on June 1 – 2.  We will also be conducting a HOMER Technology Workshop on June 2 at the event. We hope to see you there and please use our discount code, HOMERVIP for a 10% discount.

Message from the Founder – March 2022

Throughout the decades, microgrids keep progressing. We’ve always categorized microgrids into three segments characterized by primary value: energy access, diesel fuel reduction for isolated grids and resilience for grid-connected microgrids. While these aren’t the only benefits a microgrid provides, each segment is identified by the primacy of one of these objectives. This month’s newsletter illustrates a microgrid in each of the categories.

Message from the Founder

The June 2021 issue of the Microgrid News newsletter highlights the evolution of the microgrid market. When HOMER Software was created, the focus was primarily on developing country applications like the Nigerian installation described in “Energy Access Brings Improved Quality of Life and Boosts Local Economies.” This is still a critical market, but no longer the only one.

Message from the Founder

Change keeps accelerating in the energy world, especially for microgrids. We are now reviewing dozens of submissions to our annual conference and hoping you all can attend. The conference will be virtual again this year, making it easy to get to from anywhere in the world. Sponsorship packages also are now available, which offers a powerful way to get in front of and be seen as a leader in the global microgrid community.

Message from the Founder

This month’s newsletter reinforces my belief that we really are at an inflection point in the transition to clean energy. The U.S. is making a 180-degree turn toward aggressively promoting clean energy as described in “U.S. Bill to Create a Cleaner Energy Future.“ Though the bill may change through the legislative process, it is clearly a good sign for hybrid power, renewables and microgrids that this effort is taking place at the highest levels.

Message from the Founder: Thoughts on the Texas Energy Crisis

This month’s newsletter features a close look by the founder of HOMER Energy by UL at contributing causes of the Texas Energy Crisis, as well as a news story on the February event, and an article about a promising financial innovation for mini-grids in Africa. And please join us for our upcoming webinar: “Microgrids and Hybrid Power Everywhere: Optimizing the New Energy Wave” on March 25 and the Middle East and Africa Renewables Summit this week where I will moderate a panel discussion on March 10.

Message from the Founder

The 8th Annual HOMER International Microgrid Conference was a great success. In addition to a review of some of the highlights of our conference, this issue of Microgrid News has a fascinating article about a solar microgrid above the Arctic Circle and a story that highlights the role of microgrids in making municipal services more resilient. We are confident that 2021 will be a banner year for renewables and predict that we will see more emphasis on resilience.

Message from the Founder

Beyond serving as an introduction to the 8th Annual HOMER International Microgrid Conference which starts Monday, October 12, this issue of Microgrid News highlights new developments in the field of distributed energy such as the release of FERC Order 2222, current efforts to boost resiliency in California, and new power solutions for islanded communities.

Message from the Founder – September 2020: Evolution of the Microgrid Industry, HIMC 2020, Remote Monitoring, EV Truck Fleets & Regulations

In this issue of HOMER Microgrid News, we will preview some of the presentations you will hear, including a topic dear to my heart, remote monitoring. We also have an article on a hybrid battery combining the power of lithium with the durability and energy content of a flow battery, and an article on the coming wave of electric truck fleets.

Actions We Can Take Right Now Toward a Cleaner, Healthier Tomorrow

Our current global situation has many of us working from our homes and adjusting to changing plans. One change is that we are going to make the 2020 HOMER International Microgrid Conference this fall a virtual event. In the meantime, Marilyn Walker, PhD, and COO of HOMER Energy, says we can use this time to plan for – and model – a clean energy future together.

Power Pricing in the Renewable Age

HOMER Energy CEO Dr. Peter Lilienthal discusses changes we might make in the ways we price utility power as renewable energy provides a larger proportion of our electricity. How should energy pricing be used to incentivize the use of clean energy, energy conservation and dispatch of electricity at the most efficient times? What role will microgrids play in the transition?

HOMER Energy is now part of UL

You may have heard that HOMER Energy was recently acquired by UL. That prompted HOMER Energy CEO Dr. Peter Lilienthal to think about the history of the company, its roots in the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory and its recent evolution into a globally recognized tool for the trusted design of distributed renewable energy systems.

7th Annual HOMER International Microgrid Conference: Thank you!

Each year I feel a tremendous sense of excitement while hosting the HOMER International Microgrid Conference. This year’s event was particularly exhilarating and allowed me to reflect on how grateful I am to be a member of the microgrid community. I’d like to thank the colleagues who traveled from afar to participate and share some highlights of the conference with you:

Demand response programs create new value for distributed generation

As distributed generation continues to grow at rates that outpace predictions, more utilities are turning to demand response programs as a way of managing loads dynamically. Once the realm of large industrial customers and some innovative residential programs, demand response will soon be an option for any owner of distributed generation, particularly if it has energy storage: