Never-fail military microgrids are breaking new ground in distributed energy management. Now one of them is getting connected to the grid at large. That’s the news from Fort Bliss, Texas, where the U.S. Army and Lockheed Martin cut the symbolic ribbon Thursday on the first Department of Defense grid-tied microgrid. The project, started in 2010, Continue reading →
Microgrids have gradually arrived on the scene for the U.S. military. And for various global utilities as a building block for the smart grid. But as the use of microgrids expands into the smart grid, operators should not forget about grid physical and cybersecurity. via Smart Grid: Interested in microgrids? Don’t forget security.
The Department of Defense quietly announced in January that the next step in making the military more eco-friendly would entail spending $20 million to purchase electric vehicles to help offset power usage at Defense Department installations. The Pentagon expects to lease up to 500 electric vehicles at six different installations later this year, with each Continue reading →
The United States Department of Defense (DOD) has a strong interest in improving energy security through microgrid technology, stemming from its heavy reliance upon all forms of fossil fuels—often imported from regions of the world hostile to U.S. interests. Indeed, the DOD’s efforts may be the strongest driver for the overall microgrid market today, especially Continue reading →
America’s Defense Department is the largest single global consumer of petroleum, and its military operations comprise the largest demand source for all forms of energy. In addition, bases located within the United States and abroad depend on aging transmission systems susceptible to cyber-terrorism and extreme weather. via U.S. Military Microgrids Aim For 54.8MW Capacity By Continue reading →
Among the many (many, many) sustainable energy programs recently launched by the U.S. military, the Defense Department’s new military electric-vehicles-to-grid initiative is especially worth noting. With the announcement of a $20 million, 500-vehicle leasing program soon to get underway, in one fell swoop it’s going to accelerate several major trends that have been slowly leaking into Continue reading →
Is an electric car worth it? Probably a common question these days. First of all, it’s worth noting that there are many, many factors to consider when determining whether or not an electric car is worth it to you. For example, some of the issues we won’t even address in the calculations below are: 1) Continue reading →
Marine energy, not long ago considered a “yeah, maybe someday” option in the renewable energy sector, is getting quite a lot of attention lately: from the energy industry, federal and state governments, universities and the military. via Smart Grid: U.S. energy industry getting serious about marine power generation.
Energy researchers are considering the potential of military bases for providing supplemental power to vital civil services when crises occur. “Microgrids on military bases linked to local emergency services could make those services more secure,” said Cmdr. Mike Hallett, U.S. Navy Reserve, during a panel discussion, Oct. 2, at GridWeek. The group looked at threats Continue reading →
Earlier this year we told you about Army’s big push into renewables. Now this week the White House is following up by inviting proposals for $7 billion worth of contracts to boost the Army’s use of renewable energy, primarily as a backup to power from the commercial grid. According to The Hill blog, the move Continue reading →
A ZBB Energy Corp. energy storage system has been installed and commissioned in Chicago as part of a micro grid demonstration project. The Illinois Institute of Technology and the U.S. Department of Energy are collaborating on a $12 million project that aims to provide a template for micro grids at universities, military bases and business Continue reading →
As a Royal Australian Navy helicopter lands on the deck of the USS Nimitz on Wednesday, two American destroyers, a cruiser and a fuel ship are steaming alongside the aircraft carrier some 100 miles north of Oahu. The ships in the carrier strike group and the 71 aircraft on the deck of the Nimitz, including Continue reading →
‘Keeping the lights on’ can be a challenge during extreme weather and other disasters like those affecting the East Coast of the U.S. this summer, but real options may be available to avoid some of the power-related crises that follow upon such events. Leading researchers from Carnegie Mellon University suggest that rethinking the solution to Continue reading →
Lights need to stay on even during extreme weather or other types of disasters and new options may soon be available to avoid power-related crises. Starting small could keep critical services going, even when the high-voltage grid suffers a crippling blow, said researchers at Carnegie Mellon University. By thinking small like the U.S. military, it Continue reading →
Talk about the importance of microgrids has reached a fever pitch in recent years. Many have discussed the need for industrial campuses, military bases, universities, and many other critical loads to operate when isolated from the utility grid—or, in other words, as a microgrid. Is this some fancy new smart grid concept? Hardly. A microgrid Continue reading →
ZBB Energy Corp. won a contract to provide a ZBB EnerSystem integrated power management system for a microgrid installation at the Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam U.S. Military base in Honolulu, Hawaii. Manufactured at the company’s Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin facility, the ZBB EnerSystem will include a ZBB EnerSection power and energy control center combined with Continue reading →
PowerSecure International, Inc. (Nasdaq: POWR) today announced it has received $10 million of new awards for its Interactive Distributed Generation® (IDG®) smart grid power systems, LED Area Lights, and utility infrastructure projects. The new IDG System awards total $4.5 million, including installations for industrial, retail, municipal, and military facilities. via PowerSecure Announces $10 Million of Continue reading →
Barring the notable exception that it sits in close proximity to NORAD, the subdivision looks like pretty much every other suburban creature built in the last 10 years. Winding roads dead-end in cul-de-sacs surrounded by three and four-bedroom homes, their paint colors most likely named after desert pastels like “sage” and “sandstone taupe.” Look a Continue reading →
The U.S. military has been involved in smart grid technology in what seems like every possible way, from its buildings to field operations: renewable energy, batteries and storage, microgrids and more. DoD’s recently released Operational Energy Strategy Implementation Plan strengthens that commitment considerably with ambitious targets for increased efficiency and increased use of renewables, notably Continue reading →
The U.S. Army just released an RFP for $7 billion in new renewable energy contracts. The ramifications created from this DOD effort for your home or business could be as meaningful as the military’s leadership implementing the world wide web. The U.S. military is the world’s largest fuel consumer. In 2011, the U.S. military spent Continue reading →
