Volkswagen subsidiary Electrify America is investing $2 million in portable, off-grid, solar electric vehicle charging stations. The charging stations will be deployed in rural California:
Elizabeth May Looks to Canada’s Green Future
Attorney, activist and member of the Canadian Parliament Elizabeth May led Canada’s Green Party for 13 years, stepping down in late 2019. We wanted to catch up with her and hear about her upcoming environmental priorities:
Electric Vehicle Battery Power Could Offset Residential Peak in Southern California Utility
A Southern California Edison study last fall found that simulated vehicle-to-grid charging by only 10 percent of customers could offset the utility’s entire residential peak load. While rapid growth of EV ownership is on track to put unprecedented stress on utility resources, the study suggests that using EVs as a “virtual power plant” can lessen the impact:
Solar Software/Summit 2020, Phoenix, AZ – POSTPONED – October 26-28
Join GTM & Folsom Labs for the 5th annual Solar Summit, focusing on solar operations and sales digitalization. Topics include machine learning and AI for large-scale O&M, restrategizing […]
CX Energy Conference & Exposition – new VIRTUAL conference – April 6-9
Join HOMER Energy at CxEnergy, an event focused on building Commissioning, Energy Management and Building Technologies. This event targets facilities managers, civil, mechanical and electrical engineers, HVAC and […]
Advances in Sustainable Energy and Fuels, New York, NY – POSTPONED to June 22-23, 2020
Join HOMER Energy at Sustainable Energy 2020 with its special focus on a sustainable path towards energy and fuels. This conference provides a platform to share new ideas […]
Electric Power, Denver, CO – POSTPONED INDEFINITELY
Join HOMER Energy at the Electric Power Conference & Exhibition targeting power industry stakeholders and decision makers including utilities, conventional power generators and service industries. The agenda includes […]
HOMER Tip: Importing Wind Speed Data into HOMER
In this month’s HOMER tip, we explain how to import data into the HOMER software, specifically for projects that include a wind resource. We also explain how to purchase and download high resolution wind data files from UL’s Windnavigator product site and import them into HOMER software:
Powering Patagonia Parks with Low Head Hydro Microgrids
In the wildest reaches of Patagonia, distributed energy experts are building microgrids that exploit the abundant low head hydro resources in the region. These systems are providing energy for amenities in some of the most magnificent new parks in the world:
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?
3rd International Conference on Solar Technologies & Hybrid Mini Grids – POSTPONED (9/23-25 tentative new date)
Join us at the 3rd International Conference on Solar Technologies & Hybrid Mini Grids to Improve Energy Access. HOMER Energy CEO Dr. Peter Lilienthal will be on the […]
Dr. Peter Lilienthal Provides Ethiopia Mini-Grid Training with HOMER Software
HOMER Energy CEO Dr. Peter Lilienthal recently returned from Ethiopia, where he conducting a training on the HOMER software. Support to develop more mini-grids in rural areas is crucial to help Ethiopia expand energy access:
Webinar: How to Hybridize Diesel with Solar & Battery Storage with Elum Energy
Join us on February 19th alongside our industry partner, Elum Energy, as we explore opportunities in poor-grid and off-grid markets to save fuel with cutting edge microgrid systems that hybridize diesel fuel with solar and battery energy storage.
A Majority of Americans Believe Climate Change is the Most Important Issue Today
A recent poll by the American Psychological Association (APA) indicates that a majority of US adults (56%) believe that climate change is the most important issue facing us […]
Communicating the Value of Renewable Energy Projects is Easier with HOMER Grid Version 1.7
The new version of HOMER Grid 1.7 features a proposal generating tool that allows designers of hybrid distributed energy systems to produce presentation-ready reports that demonstrate how renewable energy improvements will help reduce the overall cost of energy. The software has the ability to quickly create streamlined, graphics-driven proposals that communicate system modeling results to both technical and non-technical audiences and effectively convey the project’s value to customers.
2019 in Review: Customer Insights for African Mini Grid Developers
In a landmark 2019 report on mini grids, the World Bank highlights technology achievements and successful business models. What future developments will need to occur for distributed energy projects to meet increasing needs for energy access in developing countries? Guest author Sam Miles explores that question for Africa:
Distributed Wind 2020, Washington DC, February 26-27
Distributed Wind Energy Association is a chance to learn what’s new in behind-the-meter distributed wind; the 9th annual conference will also look at new programs at DOE designed […]
Powering Africa Summit, Miami, February 24-26
The Powering Africa Summit is a US-based event focused on investment opportunities within Africa’s power sector, including everything from coal to renewables. What: Powering Africa SummitWhen: February […]
Solar Power & Energy Storage Denver, CO – February 24-26
Join HOMER Energy and the solar leadership of the Rocky Mountain region at Solar Power and Energy Storage Mountain West. Sponsored by the Colorado Solar & Storage Association (COSSA), the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), and the Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA). February 24-16 at the Hilton Denver City Center, in Denver, Colorado:
Santa Barbara Schools Look to Microgrids for Community Resilience and EV Charging
Plans are underway to build a microgrid for every one of 21 schools in the Santa Barbara Unified School District. Since the city is vulnerable to power outages from forest fires, earthquakes, heavy rains and mudslides, local officials want a more resilient power system. The Clean Coalition is leading the microgrid effort:
Webinar: The HOMER Grid Proposal Tool is Here
Join HOMER Energy Product Manager, Steffi Klawiter, and Associate Product Manager, Aarabi Madhavan, for an in-depth look at the brand new HOMER Grid Proposal Tool that generates robust, presentation ready reports based on your hybrid energy system model data in seconds! Join us to see multiple examples demonstrating how you can create a polished proposal for your HOMER Grid project.
HOMER Grid bridges the communications gap with an essential new tool for hybrid energy projects
HOMER Grid has a new feature that will help distributed energy developers sell their projects and communicate modeling results to diverse teams. The project report creator distills critical information and presents it in data rich, professional-looking proposals that can be generated in just a few clicks:
HOMER Tip: Using the new proposal creator in HOMER Grid
HOMER Grid has a new proposal creation feature that will help project developers create professional reports in a few clicks. Learn how to use this new feature to boost client confidence and sell distributed energy projects to partners and financiers. Learn how to create powerful, data rich presentations of your HOMER Grid modeling results with this tip:
“Agrivoltaics,” a win-win strategy combining solar and agriculture
Competing land use priorities have pitted farmers and renewable energy developers against each other. As solar deployment grows rapidly, those conflicts could become more common. But, innovations with dual-use solar projects can create wins for both agriculture and clean energy, as well as new revenue streams for financially strapped family farmers. Call it “agrivoltaics:”
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.
Campus Energy 2020, February 10-14, Denver, CO
The annual Campus Energy conference is an important showcase for innovative community energy systems – especially those featuring Combined Heat & Power (CHP), renewable energy and other distributed energy resources. Join HOMER Energy CEO Dr. Peter Lilienthal at Campus Energy 2020 to learn about “Finding the Least Cost Mix of CHP, Renewables and Storage.”
Intersolar North America, February 4-6, 2020, San Diego
Join HOMER Energy at Intersolar North America on February 4-6 in San Diego. HOMER VP of Business Development Andy Kruse will be speaking about using the HOMER software to design solar+storage systems for C&I customers on Thursday, February 4. Contact us to arrange a demonstration:
DistribuTech, January 28 – 30, 2020 | San Antonio, TX
Join HOMER energy this month at DistribuTech. Taking place in San Antonio from January 28-30, DistribuTech presents the latest information, products and services that relate to utilities and the delivery of electricity. That includes distributed renewable energy, microgrids, their integration with our current electric grid and more:
California presses ahead with new microgrid plans
Unpopular power shutoffs to curb fire danger, and the catastrophic human and financial impact of wildfires is spurring California to move towards rapid development of microgrids. Now 20 new microgrids are slated for completion by the fall of 2020. The tribal microgrid at Blue Lake Rancheria demonstrates how these local power networks can continue to provide electricity when the main grid is down, saving lives and delivering emergency services:
Darwin’s Finches: The race to decarbonize an ecological treasure
The Galápagos Islands are among the world’s most unique and climate-vulnerable ecosystems. Now engineers from the Instituto de Energía Solar of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (IES-UPM) are using HOMER Pro to improve the local energy systems. They will be increasing renewable resources and reducing the use of diesel fuel through optimization of a key island microgrid: