Eradicating Energy Poverty: 80 Microgrids by 2020 The EarthSpark team spent 5 years developing their first microgrid in Haiti. Inaugurated in June 2015, it is currently serving 449 homes and businesses with affordable, reliable electricity 24/7. The grid contains 93 kW of PV panels, a 30 kVa… Continue reading “Eradicating Energy Poverty: 80 Microgrids by 2020”
How Can We Convert Malls, Homes and Offices into Microgrids? Whenever I am driving in a city, I look at the shopping malls, office buildings and residential streets and say to myself: Each of these I can convert into microgrids. Each of these I can take “off-grid,” either in one… Continue reading “How Can We Convert Malls, Homes and Offices into Microgrids?”
Growing the Microgrid Business in the U.S. & Underdeveloped Regions On the Microgrid Executive MBA Discussion Board How will the microgrid business grow and how can the model be adapted in underdeveloped or poor regions? Microgrid expert and course instructor Mahesh Bhave answers student questions… Mahesh Bhave: Here is a good question from… Continue reading “Growing the Microgrid Business in the U.S. & Underdeveloped Regions”
Free Lecture: “Economic Optimization of Hybrid Renewable Microgrids” with HOMER Energy There’s no such thing as a cookie-cutter microgrid design. The number of inputs and design choices can be staggering. HOMER Software is the best recognized tool on the planet for microgrid design, and this free lecture will get you up… Continue reading “Free Lecture: “Economic Optimization of Hybrid Renewable Microgrids” with HOMER Energy”
Free Microgrid Excel Model 2024 update: This excel model is no longer available because it was getting pretty old. We hope to replace it some day! Designing a microgrid is an incredibly complex task – there’s no such thing as a standard microgrid. This… Continue reading “Free Microgrid Excel Model”
Making the Financial Case for Microgrids: Microgrid Executive MBA Training On the Microgrid Executive MBA Training discussion board… Takeaways: The clustering of microgrids creates a new set of considerations for executives. It is worth investigating from a microgrid economics standpoint what other drivers (besides low price or cost to the consumer) may… Continue reading “Making the Financial Case for Microgrids: Microgrid Executive MBA Training”
[Interview] Grid Storage Economics and Policy 101 There has been a huge amount of buzz about storage lately with more press hitting every week. SCE signed 250MW worth of contracts, Sandia is investing in battery reliability studies, the Navy is investing in micro-grids, Texas is evaluating storage, and New Jersey has issued… Continue reading “[Interview] Grid Storage Economics and Policy 101”
Building Microgrids? Four Economic Factors to Consider Microgrids are poised to alter the economics and topology of the electricity grid, ultimately transforming the electricity industry as we know it. In this article, we discuss the four economic factors to consider before and during microgrid development and provide… Continue reading “Building Microgrids? Four Economic Factors to Consider”
AC Coupling – How to Cost Effectively Add Battery Back-up to Existing Grid-Tied Solar PV systems This is a guest article by Chris LaForge. Chris is teaching an in-depth 6-week technical training on designing battery based solar PV systems that starts in September. You can read the full description and get a limited-time discount here. If… Continue reading “AC Coupling – How to Cost Effectively Add Battery Back-up to Existing Grid-Tied Solar PV systems”
Chris LaForge on Load Analysis for Battery-Based Solar Projects [Video] ISPQ Master trainer and solar legend Christopher LaForge is teaching a class on designing battery based solar PV systems. The capstone project for the class is design a complete battery based solar PV system. This is an intensive six-week training… Continue reading “Chris LaForge on Load Analysis for Battery-Based Solar Projects [Video]”