Here is Microgrid Knowledge's list of 23 microgrid projects to watch in 2023 — in … Contact online >>
Here is Microgrid Knowledge''s list of 23 microgrid projects to watch in 2023 — in
Here are eight microgrid projects that signal new directions for the technology:
Here is Microgrid Knowledge''s list of 23 microgrid projects to watch in 2023 — in no particular rank. We narrowed the list to 50 finalists and then painfully cut it to 23.
For the first time, we divided the list thematically to give you a sense of the trends we''re seeing.
Last year''s list of 22 projects was one of the most read articles on Microgrid Knowledge.
1. Sunnova swings back at critics of microutilities plan
This is more than a microgrid project. You might say Sunnova is offering up a new microgrid ecosystem – one with fewer obstructions to microgrid development. It''s not always easy to develop community microgrids because they clash with the conventional utility model. So Sunnova has proposed a new approach — microutilities that would operate microgrids in newly built California neighborhoods of fewer than 2,000 customers. The plan requires state regulatory approval. Whether or not that happens, Sunnova has put forward an innovative model that could spur new ways of thinking about the utility/microgrid relationship.
2. Cuyahoga County takes next step to create a microgrid-friendly utility
Like Sunnova, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, sees outdated utility rules getting in the way of microgrid development, so it is bypassing its local utility and creating its own microgrid-friendly utility. The county utility will oversee multiple microgrids built to encourage economic activity and improve energy resilience. Cuyahoga County made last year''s list of microgrid projects to watch too. At the time, we said it would take some time for this project to be realized because of its complexity. County officials, however, are moving forward diligently with a plan to make the county a national microgrid industry hub.
3. Should you even bother connecting to the grid?
After years of developing energy projects and dealing with the frustrations of interconnecting to the grid, Ben Parvey said enough is enough. It''s time to help people get off the grid. Thus, Parvey''s new business, OhmGrid, was born. The company is devoted to helping homeowners become energy independent by installing what he describes as a modern electric system – a microgrid with solar, storage, a backup generator and control technology.
4. Entergy considering 10 microgrids as an alternative to transmission
Entergy is among the utilities thinking outside the box when it comes to conventional transmission upgrades. The company is considering microgrids as an alternative to part of $9.6 billion in grid resilience upgrades. One project under consideration is a 17.5-MW microgrid connected to a utility substation that would serve 30 industrial companies, about 70 government entities, about 300 commercial businesses and about 2,200 residential customers.
5. An English muffin with a side of sustainability: National bakery goes microgrid
Power outages are costly to food producers and distributors. Loss of refrigeration can mean loss of product. Plus, safety rules often require the shut down and sanitizing of facilities even if the power outage is short. So it''s not surprising that the food industry is turning to microgrids for more reliable electric supply. But for Bimbo Bakeries, the maker of such products as Thomas'' English muffins, Arnold bread, and Sara Lee and Entenmann''s pastries, there was another reason to install microgrids — sustainability goals. The company announced plans in 2022 to install microgrids at six manufacturing facilities over the next year with the help of GreenStruxure, a subsidiary of Schneider Electric.
6. Major North American food producer to exit the California grid
Most North American microgrids are grid connected, allowing them to take services from the grid or sell services to the grid as needed. But like OhmGrid (see #3), Taylor Farms is going entirely off grid with its microgrid. A major California fresh food producer, Taylor Farms is building a microgrid in partnership with Bloom Energy, Ameresco and Concept Clean Energy.
7. New off-grid microgrid to power Central Valley cold storage facility for almond industry
Amond World, a refrigerated cold storage developer in California''s Central Valley, is another food facility that is taking its energy operation off grid. The company has partnered with Origo Investments to build a facility in the Madera Airport Industrial Park that will include an off-grid microgrid designed and built by Scale Microgrid Solutions.
8. Enchanted Rock to build California''s largest RNG microgrid for Microsoft
There are two strong reasons for this project to be on the list. First, it''s a large microgrid — 100 MW. Second, the project will use renewable natural gas (RNG), a resource that''s beginning to make its way into microgrids because it offers the reliability of fossil fuels without the carbon dioxide emissions. Located in San Jose, a city whose mayor (see next entry) has become an outspoken advocate of microgrids and grid independence, the microgrid will be part of a Microsoft data center being constructed.
9. San Jose, California mayor again pushes for energy independence with support of Google microgrid
Google plans to build the microgrid as part of an 81-acre mixed-use development on the west side of downtown San Jose. And it''s getting support from a pro-microgrid city government.
10. MCB Camp Lejeune chooses Duke Energy to build $22 million military microgrid
The military was an early adopter of microgrids and has aggressive goals to install more. The Army plans to build microgrids at all of its bases, and, in October, announced how it will proceed. Similarly, the US Navy and Marine Corps intend to build cybersecure microgrids at critical military facilities as part of a climate strategy.
A $22 million microgrid at Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp Lejeune, the largest Marine Corps installation in the world, is one example. Duke Energy will install the microgrid to support the critical education and training facilities at Camp Johnson, home to the Marine Corps Combat Service Support Schools at MCB Camp Lejeune.
11. New Jersey military base to install microgrid as part of $140 million energy project
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JBMDL), an Air Force, Army and Navy base in New Jersey, is doubling down on its resilience efforts by incorporating a microgrid as part of a multifaceted, multiyear energy upgrade. The Defense Logistics Agency and JBMDL awarded Ameresco a $92 million project to update mission-critical infrastructure at the joint base. This is the second phase of a project initiated in 2021; in total, JBMDL is investing $140 million in the resilience and energy efficiency project.
12. US Navy Subbase Project Achieves Commercial Operation
We''ve been following the development of a sophisticated microgrid project for some time at the Naval Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut. It''s worth highlighting the project this year because it reached an important milestone. The project achieved commercial operation of a 6-MW fuel cell (7.4 MW when it reaches full capacity) by FuelCell Energy.
As part of the installation, FuelCell Energy incorporated technology to make the project microgrid ready. As explained by Mark Feasel, executive vice president and chief commercial officer at FuelCell Energy, the installation included equipment (protective relays, metering, load levelers) that will facilitate integration into the microgrid. Until the full microgrid is developed, the base has a manual sequence of operation that will allow it to use the power from the fuel cell if a power outage occurs on the grid.
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