The POWER Interview: Microgrids Open New Business Models
The post The POWER Interview: Microgrids Open New Business Models appeared first on POWER Magazine.
Microgrids offer an “all of the above” approach to distributed generation, incorporating a variety of technologies into their design. As microgrids continue to evolve, incorporating renewable power resources, fuel cells, battery energy storage, diesel and gas generator sets, microturbines, and other technologies, they also provide the opportunity to expand the business models for power producers.
Don Wingate, Vice President Utility & Microgrid Solutions at Schneider Electric, recently provided POWER with his insights about the microgrid market. He noted that technology advancements are allowing more rapid deployments, and also “more repeatable and scalable solutions that can fit different applications.”
Wingate talked about the use cases for microgrids, and how decentralized power generation can provide lower energy costs, while also increasing power quality and providing resilience and reliability. He noted the growth in deployment in areas prone to natural disasters, and also as a way for businesses to enhance their bottom lines.…
[VIDEO] POWER Insights—Bringing Electricity to Underserved Areas
The post [VIDEO] POWER Insights—Bringing Electricity to Underserved Areas appeared first on POWER Magazine.
More than half of the population of Africa, or about 640 million people out of about 1.2 billion, does not have access to energy. It’s the lowest access rate for electricity worldwide.
Bringing power to those people is important work, being led by people such as Damien Simon, marketing and strategy director for Paris, France-based Nexans, a company that develops energy projects around the globe. Simon’s focus is on building power infrastructure in Africa, and the electrification of areas previously without access to energy.
Simon recently joined POWER associate editor Darrell Proctor for a conversation as part of the POWER Insights series, video interviews with important players in the power generation sector. He noted that in Africa, “not only do the power generation assets need to be considered, but so do the necessary transmission and distribution networks and revenue collection processes,” because it’s important that the energy generated can be paid for.…
German Lawmakers Sign Off on Phase-Out of Coal
The post German Lawmakers Sign Off on Phase-Out of Coal appeared first on POWER Magazine.
Germany’s plan to end coal-fired power generation in the country is now official, as both houses of the German parliament approved the plan to shut down the last coal units by 2038.
Lawmakers signed off on the deal July 3. Environmental groups have supported the measure, though some say it does not go far enough to protect the environment and more quickly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Supporters of a free market for German energy say it’s not necessary, and is a waste of taxpayer money, including its compensation plan for coal companies.
A major part of the strategy approved Friday is its promise to pour about €40 billion ($ 45 billion) into regions impacted by the closure of coal plants and coal mines to prop up local economies and retrain workers.
The plan is part of Germany’s “Energiewende,” the country’s effort to reduce reliance on thermal power generation and generate all the nation’s power from renewable resources.…