Distributed Energy

The Pine Bend refinery in Minnesota added a 45-MW solar power array to support the facility’s supply of electricity, reaping the benefits of reduced costs, lower emissions, and more. Owners of commercial and

The urgency for an energy transition has never been more critical. Climate change, air pollution, resilience, and national security concerns make it clear that minor adjustments to our energy system are no longer sufficient. We must revolutionize the 150-year-old electrical grid, transforming it into a robust energy ecosystem capable of meeting today’s demands and the […]

Most people, when they imagine a power plant, picture equipment like smokestacks that stretch hundreds of feet into the sky, massive, spinning turbines and the hum of electric transmission lines that deliver power into the bulk electric grid. As power demand increases beyond current power plant capacities and clean energy goals are accelerated, power generation […]

It’s not uncommon to hear people talk about the energy transition. Yet, throughout its history, the power industry has almost always been transitioning in one way or another. There are constantly new

An array of technologies, both thermal and renewable, are being used in the design of microgrids, supporting distributed power generation across several sectors. The use of microgrids to provide reliable power for critical infrastructure is growing, and these off-grid installations also are becoming more prevalent as part of commercial and industrial (C&I) enterprises and residential […]

Deloitte, a group providing a variety of services for business and industry, in a new report published June 12 notes the importance of distributed energy resources (DERs) to the future of power generation and consumption. The report, titled “DERstribution Transformation: Harnessing the power of the household to meet utility decarbonization and affordability goals,” says that […]

Global communities increasingly turn to distributed energy resources (DERs) to boost their local economies and enhance energy resilience. Generating and managing power locally cuts energy costs and fosters sustainable development. Recent successes in various cities and towns showcase how DERs can drive significant economic growth. As a result, it has become a viable strategy for […]

A company that supports solar power and battery energy storage systems (BESS) is part of a project that will support a portfolio of community solar projects across the state of New York. Houston, Texas-headquartered Catalyze, which finances, builds, owns, and operates solar and BESS installations, on May 15 said it had secured $100 million in […]

The market for customizable, scalable, turnkey energy storage solutions continues to evolve, as companies look at providing systems that will work from an individual application level all the way to grid and utility-scale deployment. Kontrolmatik, an Istanbul, Turkey-headquartered systems integrator and global engineering, procurement, and construction leader in power generation, transmission, and distribution, and its […]

Companies operating in Puerto Rico have paid particular attention to the reliability and resiliency of their power supply after a series of major hurricanes battered the island in recent years. Those storms

A more distributed power distribution network will help utilities better navigate the wave of changes resulting from the smart grid. Very few industries will experience the rapid change that power distribution

Schneider Electric today announced a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) designed and engineered to be a part of a flexible, scalable, and highly efficient architecture. BESS is the cornerstone for a fully integrated microgrid solution that is driven by Schneider Electric’s controls, optimization, and world-renowned digital and field services. Graybar, a leading distributor of electrical, […]

There are several obstacles to overcome when building a clean-energy project, but perhaps the biggest is getting through the generator interconnection queue (GIQ). Every regional transmission organization (RTO) and independent system operator (ISO) in the U.S. has a significant backlog in its GIQ and processing interconnection requests can take years to complete. This has created […]

Support for battery energy storage, and manufacturing of equipment for the electrification of transportation, is spurring construction of battery factories across the U.S. American Battery Factory, a leader in development of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cells, recently announced a partnership with Lead Intelligent Equipment (LEAD) to secure custom automation equipment and machinery that will […]

The first image that likely comes to mind when the average energy consumer thinks about renewable energy is some kind of vast (utility-scale) solar or wind farm, or a massive battery project, usually pictured

The framework for a better power grid should include distributed energy resources as a key part of the transition. When you think of the energy system of the future, what do you imagine? Ideally, you’d

The push for electrification of the transportation sector is being supported by companies making significant investments in charging infrastructure. These groups are taking innovative approaches, including utilizing solar power, to providing the electricity necessary for a network of charging stations. Greenlane on March 27 announced a major project that features a 280-mile charging corridor that […]

Virtual power plants (VPPs), as aggregations of dispatchable distributed energy resources (DERs), can deliver grid services ranging from resource adequacy to reliability at scale—all while making energy more affordable. Yet, despite their merits, the U.S. utility industry is yet to leverage the full potential of these readily available, affordable, customer-sited resources to add flexibility to the grid. Of course, the decision to incorporate […]

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) explains that community solar, also known as shared solar or solar gardens, is a distributed solar energy deployment model that allows customers to buy or lease part of a larger, off-site shared solar photovoltaic (PV) system. It says community solar arrangements allow customers to enjoy advantages of solar energy […]

The importance of a reliable and resilient power supply continues to grow, and so does the need to control energy costs. That’s why more institutions want power systems that support operational efficiency

Several solutions are needed to support deployment of renewable energy and enable continued growth in the use of distributed energy resources. The structure of energy systems everywhere is changing fast

To state it simply, current decarbonization goals cannot happen without deeper engagement between utilities and their customers, and utilities are not yet truly harnessing the potential that their customers bring. In order to begin to realize this wholesale shift from customers as “load” to customers as “resource,” utilities must facilitate customer participation in energy-saving initiatives […]

District energy systems are evolving across the power generation sector. Downtown business districts, college and university campuses, hospitals and healthcare facilities, airports, military bases and more are utilizing these systems to create economies of scale that reduce energy costs, and promote energy efficiency. These systems, used to provide power, hot water, heating, air conditioning and […]

North American electric utilities continue to grapple with the challenge of managing behind-the-meter distributed energy resources (DERs), according to the results of a survey of utility decision-makers published Feb. 15. A study of 100 leaders from utilities in the U.S. and Canada, commissioned by Siemens and done in partnership with Oxford Economics, found that “limited […]

Many countries are promoting renewable energy sources, encouraging sustainable transportation, and adopting innovative technologies to achieve their energy efficiency goals, mitigate climate change, and contribute to a more sustainable future. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7) aims to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all by 2030, with […]

Meeting ambitious climate targets while transitioning from fossil fuels remains a key priority for businesses, policymakers, and society in general. The good news is that the grid can play a pivotal role in helping us achieve this. With less dependency on more harmful energy sources such as oil and coal, and increased electrification, we are […]

The transition to green energy is often seen through two different lenses: a burden or an opportunity. Grid modernization refers to a comprehensive transformation of the traditional power grid to upgrade aging infrastructure to enhance reliability, resilience, efficiency, and sustainability of electricity generation, transmission, distribution, and consumption. A key element of grid modernization is designing […]

A demonstration project led by Caterpillar at a Wyoming site showed that large-format hydrogen fuel cells could be used to supply backup power to a data center. Caterpillar on Jan. 19 announced the project, done in collaboration with Microsoft and Ballard Power Systems, provided insights into the use of hydrogen fuel cells to support energy-intensive […]

In the face of unprecedented weather events driven by climate change, the global electrical utilities sector is grappling with disruptions, and the state of Texas in particular has been significantly impacted in recent years. From the winter storms of February 2021 to challenges posed by heat events in the summer of 2023, Texas has faced […]

Nigeria’s Rural Electrification Agency (REA) touted its success at the recent UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), with the group noting it has deployed more than 100