Microgrids have proven to be crucial for powering cell towers in Africa, where mobile phone technology leapfrogged over landlines in the past few decades. Ugandan engineer Nelson Tashobya explains how he has used HOMER Pro to design renewably-powered microgrids that save on diesel fuel costs and provide reliable power in remote locations.
Top Stories
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
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.
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 Enterprise Launches New Brands
Three distinct organizations mark significant moment to continue 128-year history of safety science leadership Northbrook, Illinois — June 27, 2022 — Today, the UL enterprise revealed new brands for […]
Nigerian minigrids improve power reliability and utility revenues for communities “under” the grid
In a “win-win” arrangement, microgrid developer PowerGen is building an “under the grid” minigrid for Toto, Nigeria. It will supply renewable electric power during the day, while the utility powers the town at night.
De-risking Energy Storage: UL Industry Roundtable and Report
After convening stakeholders to assess the risks presented by energy storage, UL presents highlights of the downloadable report, “How to De-Risk North America’s Energy Storage Project Pipeline.”
Microgrid Brings Newfound Quiet and Cost Reductions to Canadian Native Community
A microgrid on Harbledown Island in British Columbia is reducing generator noise and air pollution as it delivers lower-cost energy to a Canadian native community. Modeled using UL’s HOMER Pro, it is continuing to perform well after a year of operation:
Odyssey Streamlines Microgrid Financing in Africa Using UL’s HOMER® Application Programming Interface (API)
Solar microgrid developers in Nigeria are getting needed help to move their project proposals forward. The assistance begins with an opportunity to apply for project financing through the […]
Massachusetts Town Plans a Microgrid as the State’s First Clean Energy Resilience Solution
The Cape Cod, Massachusetts town of Yarmouth is building the state’s first municipal clean energy resilience microgrid. It will power an emergency operations center in a firehouse during extreme weather events.
Top 2021 Stories Highlight Increasing Momentum Toward Clean Energy
Enabled by decreasing storage costs, microgrids and hybrid power systems accelerated along a path of rapid growth and innovation in 2021. See some of our top stories for the year.
Sharing Electric Vehicles: A New Transportation Paradigm for Rwanda
Rwanda is the first country in Africa to embrace the transition to electric vehicles on a large scale. Volkswagen is manufacturing EVs there, and in the capital city of Kigali, Rwanda is implementing a car sharing program that is creating a new transportation paradigm.
DC Mesh Grid Microgrid Networks Show Promise in Developing Country Rural Electrification Projects
A DC mesh network in Cambodia brings low-cost electricity to a remote rural village for the first time. Learn how Otteh Edubio from Okra Solar builds these microgrids. Then get the details from his presentation recorded at the HOMER Microgrid and Hybrid Power International.
Fekola Gold Mine Builds Solar Power into Existing Thermal Plant
A Mali gold mine is now powering operations with a HOMER-modeled microgrid that combines solar and batteries with an existing thermal power plant. The 30 MW solar plant will help cut costs and hedge against future oil price increases.
From Conventional Power Plants to Hybrid Power and Microgrids: An Interview with Dino Ablakovic, Siemens Energy
Fossil-based power plants are adding renewable energy resources, storage and hydrogen, and being reconfigured as microgrids or grid-tied hybrid power plants. One company working on that challenge is Siemens Energy. We spoke with Siemens Microgrid Product Manager Dino Ablakovic about his work and upcoming presentation for the 9th Annual HOMER Microgrid and Hybrid Power International conference held on Oct. 12-14, 2021.
Extreme Weather and Need for Resilience Spur North American Microgrid Growth
Research shows the commercial and industrial use of microgrids in industrialized countries will likely soon surpass remote, rural microgrids. This shift is motivated by the need for resilient power systems in the face of climate change.
2020 Proves Exceptional for Renewable Energy, and Outlook Shines for 2021-22
With its mission of advancing energy security, tracking clean energy growth, collecting information and offering training worldwide, the International Energy Agency (IEA)organization released its Renewable Energy Market Update 2021 (IEA [2021], Renewable Energy Market Update 2021, IEA, Paris) last month. The report highlighted global progress in renewable energy last year and made data-based predictions for this year and next.
Industry Leaders Launch Group to Create a Coordinated Industry Voice for Microgrids in the U.S.
HOMER Energy by UL joined more than a dozen companies as a founding member of Think Microgrid, a new coalition formed to advance state and federal policy in the U.S. and lead the way to improve electric reliability with microgrids.
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.