Microgrids are a hot topic across the energy industry. New and innovative technologies are advancing energy resiliency. Zondits spoke with Andrew Yip, Director of Business Development for Bosch, to learn more about their DC Microgrid platform and how this technology is redefining energy generation. What differentiates a DC microgrid from an AC microgrid? Today’s building loads are operated by power … Read more
Gita Subramony, ERS, for Zondits The clean energy sector is fast becoming one of the USA’s big industries. Vox summarizes the findings of a recent Navigant study on global and national sector growth. The advanced energy industry is certainly growing globally, with $1.4 trillion in revenue last year. The report also shows that in 2016 … Read more
Daniel Pidgeon, ERS, for Zondits Stephen Lacy, the editor-in-chief of GreenTech Media, sat down with Shayle Kahn, Senior VP of GTM Research for a special podcast on the solar industry’s record-setting 2016. The 36-minute podcast is worth the listen, but we’ve summarized some of the highlights here: America’s solar market nearly doubled in size last … Read more
Daniel Pidgeon, ERS, for Zondits As most of us may guess, Hawaii leads the nation in solar panels per capita. But there is still a substantial percentage of the market that cannot participate in solar programs. To increase participation, the legislature passed a law mandating utilities to create community renewables programs. However, the utilities had … Read more
Elana Cole, ERS, for Zondits A trio of Democratic legislators in Massachusetts has introduced a bill to help the state reach its ambitious goal of using 100% renewable energy by 2035 and phasing out all fossil fuels from the heating and transportation sectors by 2050. The Bay State is seeking to catch up with other … Read more
Tesla’s Battery Revolution Just Reached Critical Mass Bloomberg, January 30, 2017 Tesla Motors Inc. is making a huge bet that millions of small batteries can be strung together to help kick fossil fuels off the grid. The idea is a powerful one—one that’s been used to help justify the company’s $5 billion factory near Reno, Nev.—but batteries have so far only … Read more
How the World Defines Microgrids and Why You are Confused Microgrid Knowledge, January 30, 2017 Microgrid, mini-grid, picogrid… All this tiny terminology can add up to some big confusion. Even the industry itself defines microgrids in different ways. Microgrids, mini-grids and picogrids have some things in common: they are all locally generated, locally distributed sources of clean energy. Is … Read more
Ethan Forauer, ERS, for Zondits Over the last 2 years, China has proven to be a respectable player in the global renewable energy arena, smashing solar and wind installation targets by several orders of magnitude. In fact, in 2015, China set a world record for the most solar capacity installed in a single year. In … Read more
Ethan Forauer, ERS, for Zondits In a piece of legislation that has proven to be one of the first of its kind, Wyoming State Representative David Miller has brought forward a bill aiming to penalize state utilities that incorporate ineligible clean energy resources in the state’s electricity portfolio. This comes at a juncture where economic … Read more
Jim Paull, ERS, for Zondits Why in the world would anyone mount a photovoltaic array facing north? Didn’t anyone tell them that in this hemisphere the sun is to the south? What were they thinking? The best orientation for a solar installation – whether it’s thermal or photovoltaic – is facing due south at an … Read more