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IRENA Annual Review 2017 — More Jobs Worldwide in Renewables than in Fossil Fuel

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More than 9.8 million people were employed in the renewable energy sector in 2016 — continuing to increase over 2015 numbers — according to a new report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Released at the organization’s recent council meeting, the fourth edition Renewable Energy and Jobs –(IRENA) Annual Review 2017 provides the latest employment figures in the renewable energy sector as well as insight into factors affecting the RE labor market. The report presents the status of renewable energy employment, both by technology and in selected countries, over the past year.

MGN Weekly: Are Indian Microgrids a Failure? Will Pittsburgh’s ‘Grid of Microgrids’ Succeed? …and More Microgrid News — May 18, 2017

india microgrid failurePoor Indian household (farm) 6. House and cows in yard. Andhra Pradesh, Anantapur

Solar microgrids in India’s northern Uttar Pradesh state did little to improve household incomes, encourage business ownership, or reduce the long hours that people spend on daily household work, a new study finds. According to the year-long, randomized survey of nearly 1,300 households in 81 non-electrified rural communities, villagers did buy less kerosene for their lamps, since they could flip on light bulbs at night. But their lives were otherwise unchanged, showing that local officials, energy companies, and NGOs alike need to address other pressing issues — such as underfunded schools or dismal job prospects — before rural electrification can really lift people out of poverty.

MGN Weekly: Taking Suburbia Off Grid, Myanmar Microgrids, and More News from HOMER Energy — May 12, 2017

myanmar microgrids

A solar and battery storage microgrid trial by Victorian network operator AusNet Services has succeeded in taking part of a Melbourne suburb completely off grid, demonstrating how utilities can use solar, battery storage and the internet of things to boost energy security and reliability in the future. AusNet said on Wednesday that eight homes had been successfully separated from Victoria’s main electricity grid and operated together as a stand-alone solar and battery storage powered microgrid.

MGN Weekly: What do USAF, Native American Reservations, and US Urban Centers Have in Common? Microgrids — May 2, 2017

US resilient microgrids

Newly created teams within the U.S. Air Force and other military branches are pursuing contracts for on-site distributed generation and smart microgrids…Blue Lake Rancheria Native American reservation’s microgrid project went live last week, helping power government offices, economic enterprises, and critical Red Cross safety shelter-in-place facilities across 100 acres…The massive April blackout is a wake-up call for San Francisco to bring microgrids online sooner rather than later…and more news highlights.

Community Energized: Hartford, Connecticut, Powers Up Fuel Cell Microgrid

hartford fuel cell microgridA fuel cell microgrid that will generate clean energy, manage electricity costs and supply emergency power for public buildings and businesses in Hartford's Parkville neighborhood. (Graphic: Business Wire)

In Hartford, Connecticut, today, the City of Hartford, Constellation, and Bloom Energy announced the completion of a fuel cell microgrid in the city’s Parkville neighborhood. The project’s goals are to generate clean energy, reduce electricity costs and offer emergency backup power for businesses and public buildings.

Innovative American Microgrids: from Corporate HQs to Affordable Housing

innovative american microgrids

In the United States, where minimalism and simplicity aren’t always a system’s determining factors, microgrid technology has made possible many groundbreaking projects that could lead to new models for off-grid power generation, distribution, and storage. These include everything from corporate campus microgrids to energy-plus-storage systems for multi-family affordable housing projects.

MGN Weekly: Microsoft Goes Microgrid, Solar Power Goes Fishing (& Dives into Revolution) — April 7, 2017

microsoft facebook microgrid solar revolutionFishing boat on Lake Victoria, Kenya: Fishermen here benefit from electrification project

Facebook, Microsoft Mobilize $50 Million for Renewable Energy Microgrids: Facebook, Microsoft, and investment firm Allotrope Partners have launched a “first-of-its-kind” finance facility to catalyze investments in renewable energy microgrids for underserved communities globally. The Microgrid Investment Accelerator (MIA) will mobilize approximately $50 million between 2018 and 2020 to expand energy access in India, Indonesia, and East Africa. The facility was launched last week at the U.N. Sustainable Energy For All Forum.
Fishing boat on Lake Victoria, Kenya: Fishermen here benefit from electrification project…and more news!
Solar Microgrids Bring Profits to Lake Victoria Fishing Co-ops…

Microgrid News Weekly: Marijuana Microgrids, Coal vs. Wind — February 23, 2017

marijuana microgridEnergy accounts for 20-25% of indoor cannabis cultivation costs. Photo via CPB

Colorado-based Scale Energy Solutions has unveiled solutions to fill a gap that utility companies and major corporations can’t fix. The company develops hybrid microgrids, combining solar, storage and combined heat and power (CHP), to lower the gluttonous energy consumption of indoor cannabis cultivation, microgrids it predicts will cut 20-25% from the cost of production.

Microgrid News Weekly: Focus on Africa — February 17, 2017

focus-africa

BBC lists SteamaCo’s electricity grids as top African product to watch in 2017…Bangladesh Emerges as a Hotbed for Solar Microgrids…New Jersey Moves Forward with First Ever Rail Microgrid Project & more microgrid news highlights January 5, 2017