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.
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The HOMER team is growing and we are now hiring. Please see the information about positions currently open within. We hope you will help us find great candidates.
Proposed Federal MICROGRID Act (Em)powers Local Governments, Nonprofits
Congressman Panetta’s bill — the Making Imperiled Communities Resistant to Outages with Generation that is Resilient, Islandable, and Distributed (MICROGRID) Act – would provide an incentive toward installing and deploying microgrids to provide backup power during emergencies. The need for these microgrids is clear, and through this legislation, the federal government would enable communities and to take climate-related action.
PG&E and BoxPower Mitigate Wildfire Risk with Remote Hybrid Power Systems
Rather than rebuild distribution lines damaged by fire, PG&E is working with BoxPower to install a renewables-based microgrid to provide clean, resilient power for customers in Briceburg, California. The solar + storage system is the first of 20 proposed for development through PG&E’s new Remote Grid Initiative.
Electric Cooking Can Improve Lives, Reduce Emissions, and Boost Solar-Powered Microgrids
A research project in rural Haiti demonstrates the effectiveness of electric cooking technologies powered by solar microgrids to improve the quality of life for community members while generating new revenue streams and opportunities for energy access providers.
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.
Nigerian Minigrid Reveals Transformative Power of Access to Clean Energy
When Ashipa Electric installed a solar + storage-based mini-grid in an agrarian community in Nigeria, team leaders expected the system to lower power costs and reduce carbon emissions. But by offering residents access to clean, cost-effective energy, the hybrid system also revitalized the economy, elevated quality of life, and produced environmental benefits beyond all expectations.
U.S. Bill to Create a Cleaner Energy Future with Microgrids
Decarbonization has emerged as a national priority in 2021. Newly proposed legislative measures suggest that for the microgrid industry, that could mean more supportive policies and increased project funding.
Webinar – PEER and HOMER: Determining the resilience of your hybrid system
To win financial and stakeholder support for your hybrid power project, it’s critical to prove value, reliability and resilience. But demonstrating project value from feasibility through completion is difficult. Join us on April 29th, 2021 at 9:00 AM MDT to learn how two resources make this difficult task easier.
An Industrial Microgrid in Costa Rica Offers Cost-Reduction and a Path to Carbon-Neutrality
A hybrid energy system at a manufacturing facility not only helps reduce energy costs and emissions, but also has far-reaching carbon reduction benefits, and positions Costa Rica as a leader in the fight against climate change.
New UL capability advances design of utility-scale hybrid power systems that provide clean, stable electricity
HOMER Energy by UL’s new front-of-the-meter modeling software combined with expert UL analysis helps energy developers evaluate the profitability of utility-scale solar, wind and storage systems
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.
Results-Based Financing Models Provide Path Forward for Mini-Grids in Africa
Mini-grids could provide energy access to the approximately 580 million people without power in Africa while fulfilling decarbonization and climate goals. However, financing these projects often proves challenging. In order to secure funding, project developers are increasingly looking to results-based models.
Texas Energy Crisis Strengthens Case for Microgrids
Catastrophic events such as the one in Texas last week demonstrate the value of energy networks that include many small, distributed power systems to provide power when the larger network is unable to.
Middle East and Africa Renewable Energy Summit
Renewable energy is emerging as a critical component in the MEA region’s sustainable energy transition. The renewable landscape in the Middle East and Africa is rapidly evolving, with investment increasing and several countries in the region becoming global front runners in renewable energy development.
Message from the Founder
Our February newsletter highlights the broad range of diversity in microgrid applications. On the remote end of the spectrum, we look at microgrids for mining operations. At the other extreme, we feature a very small microgrid at a school on a small island in Indonesia.
Converting Diesel Mini-grids to Solar Makes Kenya More Sustainable
As Kenya’s population and economy grow, energy providers are leveraging renewable resources and converting existing diesel-powered mini-grids to hybrid systems. Kenya’s electric utility, Kenya Power and Lighting Company recently issued a proposal to add solar and wind power generation to 23 diesel mini-grids in operation across the country.
Unearthing Value – Microgrids Help Mines Come Clean
Renewables-based microgrids are becoming increasingly valuable for mining businesses worldwide as they offer an economically viable pathway toward decarbonization.
California’s New Rules Support Resiliency
California’s pioneering development of new microgrid tariffs will not only create a revenue stream for microgrids and advance related technologies, it is likely to serve as a model for other states.
Webinar: De-Risking Microgrids & DERs in Australia – System Design, Safety & Bankability
Hybrid power systems, whether as remote microgrids or grid-connected distributed energy systems are integral to the future of Australia’s rapidly evolving energy landscape. But hybrid power systems require financing, and financiers seek projects that offer low risk. This webinar examines the challenges of designing, building, and operating hybrid power systems that incorporate both renewable resources and storage. Expert panelists discuss best practice design choices and cost-effective operation and maintenance.
A Microgrid Pilot Program in Wisconsin Aims to Boost Resilience
With resiliency in mind, a Wisconsin utility has proposed a novel microgrid pilot program that will pave the way for 22 microgrid projects and ultimately offer energy consumers access to cleaner, more reliable power.
The Need for Operational Resilience Drives Microgrid Innovation
A Colorado car dealership experienced several prolonged power outages during business hours each year. The lost business was consequential, so it installed an innovative grid-tied, solar + storage microgrid that today provides a myriad of benefits.
Ripple Effect: An Educational Microgrid in Indonesia With Far-Reaching Benefits
Access to energy is a challenge for inhabitants of remote islands in Maluku Province, Indonesia. But a new campus mini-grid lab will soon offer engineering students practical experience that could produce a groundswell of interest in renewable energy and provide more villages with power.
Message from the Founder
Happy New Year. We have high hopes for 2021. Although it will take several months, we are optimistic that life will get easier as the vaccine rolls out. […]
Proceedings of 8th Annual HOMER International Microgrid Conference Now Available On-demand
Session recordings from the eighth annual HOMER International Microgrid Conference are available for on-demand viewing. Conference organizer, HOMER Energy by UL, made these complementary sessions available to provide technical information and lessons learned from real-world microgrids.
Retail Power: Solar-Powered Shopping Centers Provide Cost Savings and Clean Energy
A rising number of shopping mall owners in Australia are turning the rooftops of commercial spaces into power plants with on-site solar arrays and energy storage. These hybrid systems allow owners to provide tenants with cheaper, cleaner power.
Building Green: Powering Construction Sites with Renewable Energy
Construction sites, known for their high energy requirements, are major producers of greenhouse gas emissions. Faced with a surge in urban construction and increasingly stringent carbon reduction regulations worldwide, builders are turning to renewables-based hybrid systems to power their sites.
A Positive Charge for Energy Storage
Today energy storage technology is recognized as an integral part of the transition to clean energy. In this article, we explore battery technology and safety advancements, as well as the market’s rapid growth and its impact on microgrids and hybrid power systems.
HOMER Today, Tomorrow, and Beyond
In this month’s Founders Message, Dr. Marilyn Walker reflects on some of the changes that HOMER experienced in 2020, looks ahead to the future, and invites energy professionals to share their input in a new HOMER User Survey.
Top 10 Microgrid News Stories of 2020
As 2020 comes to a close, we’ve curated a collection of the most interesting and informative articles published on Microgrid News this year to inform your design projects and inspire your vision for 2021.