FES Journal: Energy Feasibility and the Microgrid
Smart grid /microgrid operations and renewable energy power systems are being embraced with renewed vigor by utilities, municipalities, industries, commercial entities, and communities. The promise of emissions-free power with zero fuel cost is enticing to a stressed grid.
Power utilities have begun to shore up the grid by addressing issues such as power quality and reliability (PQR). They’re accomplishing this through strategic integration into the generation and transmission infrastructure of the grid.
These decentralized units offer a host of benefits, such as:
- reactive power control,
- reduced emissions,
- improved power quality,
- ancillary services (such as regulation and frequency response), and
- enhanced grid resilience.
As utilities start to accrue the benefits from these distributed energy resources, municipalities, campuses, and business owners see the merits of deploying these resources on a smaller scale to further their own goals of energy security, economic benefits, and power quality. This trend is only accelerating with the uptake on electric vehicle (EV) deployment.
While many businesses have made the commitment to solar power and even batteries (energy storage systems), challenges remain in integrating these technologies.
In this article, published in the September 2021 issue of Florida Engineer Society’s Journal, McKim & Creed’s Sol Haroon, an NABCEP Certificated PV Professional, explores energy feasibility options. He discusses the pros and cons of solar energy and microgrids. He also reviews simulation and modeling tools and explains how they can be used to analyze cost and effective payback.
Click here or on the image above to read the entire article.