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.
Microgrids
From Maria to Microgrids: Why Puerto Rico’s Energy Future Should Be Built on Distributed Energy
Puerto Rico has a very long and politicized electrical grid history, and politics will play a big role in how the island territory will recover from the devastation of Hurricane Maria, a category 4 storm that hit the island on September 20, 2017. Puerto Rico, barely recovering from Hurricane Irma, was devastated by Maria, a storm so large and so direct that its eye alone literally covered the entire island. The storm destroyed more than three-fourths of the island’s power infrastructure, leaving Puerto Rico’s 3.5 million residents without power. Current estimates are that most of the country won’t be back on-grid for months.
Lessons from the Off-grid World: Resilient Distributed Energy Win-Win for Consumers, Utilities
The future of energy starts with a fundamental transition from a centralized structure dependent on fossil generation to a distributed structure relying mostly on renewable generation. This transition means a large number of small projects instead of a small number of large projects. And you, HOMER users, are the vanguard of this transition.
To ‘fuel’ this future, the grid-connected world can learn a lot of lessons from international (and Alaskan) experience with off-grid and isolated systems, which were the topics of many of the sessions held at HIMC2017. I’m going to talk about 6 such lessons.
HOMER Pro 3.10 Compare Economics Webinar – 8/29/17
Economics are a very important part of any hybrid energy system. Learn how to use HOMER Pro’s Compare Economics feature in your models for more accurate results. […]
A New HOMER to Help Millions Learn About Microgrids
HOMER Energy CEO Dr. Peter Lilienthal discusses how to educate millions about microgrids. The advent of electricity created disruptive change in the world. Now, the world of electric […]
What’s New in HOMER Pro v3.9 – 6/7/17
Watch our top HOMER Engineers walk through all of the new features that are now available in HOMER Pro version 3.9.
Maryland: Despite Setbacks, Maryland Powers Through with Microgrids and Clean Energy Jobs
Last week, the Maryland legislature passed the Clean Energy Jobs act, overriding a veto last year by Governor Larry Hogan. Also in 2016, the state’s Public Service Commission […]
IKEA Speeds Energy Independence Plan, Democrats Include Microgrids in $1 Trillion Plan, and More News — February 1, 2017
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
Palestinian Microgrid Solutions to Energy Poverty: Off-grid in the Holy Land — Part 1
With a unique set of critical energy challenges, Palestine is an ideal environment for off-grid renewable energy and boasts many initiatives and projects, large and small, which are either […]
Industry Leaders Address Issues, Technologies at Recent HOMER Microgrid Conference [conference highlights]
After 3 successful microgrid conferences in Mexico, Spain, and Australia, HOMER Energy hosted its fourth annual international microgrid conference at Columbia University in New York November 7-8. TheHOMER […]
Weekly Roundup Microgrid News October 19, 2016
Navy and Energy Commission Agree to Partner on Renewable Energy Projects…Hybrid Microgrids Could Cut N.W.T.’s Diesel Dependence by Half, Report Says…Pure-play Battery or Hybrid Grid Energy Storage?
Weekly Microgrid News Highlights, October 12, 2016
Weekly Microgrid News Highlights October 12, 2016 New Energy Task Force Approves Draft Recommendation for Comprehensive Reforms The New Energy Task Force proposal approved last week recommends the […]
International Microgrid Conference to Present Findings from Just-released IRENA Report, ‘Innovation Outlook: Renewable Mini-grids’
The cost of renewable mini-grids and microgrids will continue to decline by 60% in the next two decades as new technologies improve their capability to cost-effectively integrate more […]
International Consortium to Provide Microgrid Solutions for US, Canada
Advanced Microgrid Solutions, Opus One announce $12.4 M North American multi-utility microgrid project Opus One Solutions (Opus One), Advanced Microgrid Solutions (AMS), and a consortium of partners announced […]
Philippines Microgrids Bring Sustainable Energy to Villages — A HOMER Pro Case Study
Shell Foundation, Philippines, recently hired consultant Silver Navarro to assist its Dutch consultant with an Access to Energy program promoting Philippines microgrids. The program’s purpose is designing an off-grid power system that the community can sustainably operate and maintain to meet its basic electricity requirement. HOMER Pro helped the program make rural microgrids reliable and affordable.
Main-grid and Microgrid Bankability in Africa: A Comparison
Clusters of gas-fired turbines, big dams, and geothermal projects in Sub-Saharan Africa tend to have very complex financing structures. In addition, they also often involve complex debt/equity structures from local banks. Microgrids, however, are within the reach of much smaller organizations.
(Must read!) On Using Software to Make Case for Mini-grid Deployment; G20 Energy Meeting. News Extra 7/5/16
HOMER Director of Energy Engineering John Glassmire discusses how to use software to make a strong business case for mini-grid deployment in an easy-to-digest article; IRENA reports on 2016 G20 Energy Ministers Meeting.
Microgrid Antifragility: Don’t Be a Turkey
Like banks “too big to fail,” the grids in most developed nations are so fragile and interdependent that they are vulnerable to natural or human-made disasters that can […]
HOMER Energy CEO Lilienthal, industry leaders to meet at 5th annual MIREC Week
The 5th annual MIREC Week Congress (May 16-20, 2016) hosts electricity revolution leaders at the forefront of designing Mexico’s New Energy System. As the market celebrates the country’s […]
Governor Cuomo Announces Next Phase Of $40 Million NY Prize Microgrid Competition (Release)
Phase II offers $8 million for local communities to develop engineering design and business plans for clean, resilient energy networks Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the next […]
NJ Transit Receives Federal Funding for Microgrid Project
Governor Christie of New Jersey recently announced that NJ Transit will receive $1.276 billion in federal monies to fund five projects designed to harden NJ Transit’s infrastructure. The […]
25,000 Indian Villages to Get Electricity Through Microgrids
More than 25,000 Indian villages, which have been waiting for half a century and beyond for the government to provide them with electricity, could soon see light at […]
Strawman Proposal for a Taxonomy of Renewable Penetration Levels
This strawman taxonomy provides clear distinctions between different levels of renewable penetration. By basing the criteria on the architecture and control of the power system, it avoids the […]
Microgrids in the News 04/14/2011
Netherlands tests automated-energy homes Solar Powered Washing Machine Knows When Sun Shines Smart Grid Works for Utilities, but Not Yet for Consumers U.S. Army Uses Big Battery […]
Microgrids in the News 04/13/2011
Rebuilding Haiti’s Health Infrastructure with Renewable Energy Smart grid funding falls off cliff; M&A activity also drops The Other Problem with Nuclear Power Decentralized Power and Disaster […]
Demand response, distributed generation, and utilities in focus as we move to a renewable energy future
First Micro-Grid, Distributed Energy Resource Community Coming to California California Dreaming? While the utility companies grapple with how they will incorporate the renewable energy needed to meet California’s […]