In California, rolling blackouts have left millions of people in the dark as they rush indoors to escape both the COVID-19 pandemic and heatwaves. With so many people blasting air conditioners at once, California’s electric grid, which relies on renewables more than ever, is struggling to supply power. There are two primary reasons for the […]
As the COVID-19 pandemic shut down cities around the world, and major transportation systems slowed to a crawl, pollution levels plummeted by around 50% in Delhi, India, according to a recent report from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The researchers found an 8% increase in solar panel energy production as a result of clearer, less […]
As the COVID-19 pandemic winds on, it’s causing a lot of unpredictability in the renewable energy sector. BW Research Partnership predicts that half a million people employed in the industry in the U.S. will lose their jobs by the end of June. However, at the same time, solar power is providing more power than ever. […]
Renewables have greatly expanded on a global level. Last year, growth in renewables outcompeted oil, representing a minimum 70% total capacity growth in nearly all regions with the exception of Africa and the Middle East, where renewable growth constituted 52% and 26%, respectively. The expansion of renewables in 2020, however, will be less certain due […]
As patients with COVID-19 fill emergency rooms throughout the world—many depending on ventilators to survive—hospitals are depending on reliable electricity more than ever. Additionally, more people are working from home, which saps even more energy from the grid. As pandemics and climate change-induced disasters heat up, so will the demand for microgrids. This technology can […]
Finding reliable methods to store renewable energy is crucial to ensuring there is enough power for the entire day. Current energy storage methods include pumped hydro installations and batteries, but there is a significant gap in storage capacities. What other solutions can help store copious amounts of energy until they are needed? Storing Renewable Energy […]
The growth of electric vehicles and the smart grid has lead to the creation of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology. Imagine using your electric vehicle to power your home during a storm-induced power outage. While your vehicle may not be able to power your entire house, there likely would be enough energy to charge your phone, power […]
Today’s modern smart grid connects a variety of distributed energy resource assets to the power grid. This creates a diverse and disparate system, which both individuals and power companies can impact, with enormous benefits. Distributed energy collection assets (such as solar panels) are essential to increase the use of green energy, which helps the environment […]
Thanks to decreasing renewable energy prices and progressive policymakers, state-level 100% clean energy targets are becoming more common across the United States. Federal policymakers have proposed legislation that would mandate 50% of national power be green by 2035. The use of distributed energy resources (DERs), clean energy generation, and other technologies on the distribution network […]
The future promises dramatic transformations in the way people make and consume energy. Many experts are turning to microgrids— small-scale, self-sustaining power networks unburdened by ties to a centralized power plant— as key agents of this transformation. Microgrids provide everything from greater reliability and resilience to cleaner power and economic development. They’re designed to work […]
