Evolutioneering

Microgrids – Building Blocks of the Grid There has been much discussion over the past years regarding microgrids and intentional islanding.  Much of the talk results in polarized viewpoints regarding the development, implementation, usefulness and practicality of renewables based locally controlled distributed microgrids. Microgrids have evolved from practical, mobile and reliable power networks and from pockets of consumers around a consistent power source to distributed models using virtual power plants and distributed generation together with designed for purpose equipment on traditional distribution networks.  However, the underlying theme appears to be reliability and resilience – even for utility owned and implemented systems. As microgrids and DERs in general continue to proliferate, how will the grid evolve to be able to best capitalize on the features provided by these building blocks? Up until recently, the integration of renewable energy sources has been s...

The electric power system, an inter-networked and intricately balanced collection of electricity generation and load, is experiencing a time of unprecedented change. Following decades of underinvestment, the power system has become a priority area to address the local issues of critical infrastructure rebuilding and resiliency as well as customer empowerment while also supporting the wider goals of climate change, energy sustainability and economic development. This includes a number of areas of focus including localized issues such as capital infrastructure deployment strategies, energy resiliency, and support of an electrified transportation infrastructure in addition to more broad issues such as the development of distributed energy resources (DER) both as standalone energy providers and as building blocks to the larger grid. In particular, the grid of today is characterized by the technological maturity, declining cost, and commoditization of DERs. Such DERs are generally compri...