Smart inverters are advanced power electronics that bring autonomy to electrical grids, making them more reliable, resilient, and secure. These inverters better connect distributed energy resources (DERs) to the electrical grid and allow them to be powered by a greater array of renewable energy sources. In recent years, a number of U.S. states, including Hawaii […]
Electrical grids across the world are becoming smarter and greener. The Singapore Power Group’s annual 2021 Smart Grid Index, which compares a total of 86 utilities across 37 countries, suggests that electrical grids in North America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific are increasingly integrating smart grid technology into their utilities, Smart Energy International reported. In […]
Power outages are soaring due to climate change. In 2020, extreme weather was responsible for a 73% spike in blackouts, according to PowerOutage.US, a site that aggregates utility power outage data. With global temperatures on track to rise by over 2.7 degrees Celsius (4.9 degrees Fahrenheit) by the end of the century, rising outages will […]
The smart grid is a digitized electrical grid that allows for two-way communication between the utility and the consumer. While the smart grid can provide a greener, cost-effective solution to humanity’s energy needs, implementing it won’t be easy. It will take both time and money to replace the decades-old electric grids that currently supply the […]
In recent weeks, natural disasters such as hurricanes and the California wildfires have wrought a path of destruction across the United States. Without investment in renewable technology that can help combat climate change, events such as these are likely to get worse. As discussed in a previous post, the COVID-19 pandemic impacts the renewable industry […]
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 […]
Around the globe, utility companies are investing in smart grid projects. According to the research firm Guidehouse Insights, utilities are anticipated to grow their smart grid capacity by nearly 20% per year over the next decade. Despite shutdowns due to the coronavirus-related closures, smart grid projects are slowly moving forward in some regions. In India, […]
Smart grid projects from around the world are moving forward even though the COVID-19 pandemic is causing slowdowns. While the pandemic is expected to make already-challenging smart grid rollouts more complicated, regions are still seeing progress—especially in smart meter installation projects. State Agency Installs Over 1.2 Million Smart Meters Throughout India Amid COVID-19 shutdowns, the […]
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 […]
The Internet of Things (IoT) is allowing organizations to cost-effectively implement smart grids, also known as microgrids. Through IoT-based energy technologies, companies could revolutionize the distribution of electricity around the world. Microgrids create smaller groups from the larger electrical utility grid, which provides greater control to organizations on how they use their energy supply. Through […]
