As the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season approaches, businesses must grapple with the increasing impact of severe weather events and the threats of significant property damage and loss, interrupted operations, impact on sales, and a disruption of services provided to business communities.
The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season could be one of the most active on record. The recent hurricane outlook calls for 24 named storms, 11 of which are predicted to become hurricanes. Six of those could reach Category 3 status or stronger.
That is well above the 30-year average for both hurricanes and other storms and is indicative of the ongoing increase in both the number and severity of major weather events.
The time to prepare your business resilience plan is now.
Source: Climate Central
Of the many threats inherent in an active hurricane season, power outages remain one of the major causes of business disruption both during and after inclement weather.
Increased storm activity means that businesses need to be prepared for longer and more frequent periods without power, which can have a significant impact on operations in addition to public safety. In recent years, it’s become essential for businesses to develop hurricane resilience plans to keep the lights running and the operations continuing–even as the main power grid takes days or even weeks to restore power. But what constitutes true “hurricane resilience” in today’s operating environment?
For most facilities, a distributed energy solution (DES), also known as a microgrid, is the answer. In its simplest form, a DES is comprised of an independent power source serving a set of connected loads via a dedicated control system, but microgrids can include and do much more.
The center of storm response and energy restoration capability is the installation of a backup power source, typically a generator with a UPS or energy storage device to allow facility staff time to start the generator in the event of a blackout.
More advanced microgrids include distributed energy resources (DERs), like on-site solar or energy storage, and have the ability to control connected loads within the facility. A dedicated control system allows facility operators to switch from grid to on-site power and back again as needed, as well as to monitor and control the microgrid itself.
Monitoring DES can be challenging, especially during major weather events. For that reason, many facilities choose to work with a DES supplier to provide monitoring and system management support. During Hurricane Ian, for example, PowerSecure monitored more than 1,000 sites across Florida, Georgia, Virginia, and the Carolinas as the storm moved north, ensuring that on-site power sources and functions like mode switching were functioning normally.
Another consideration brought forth as a result of protracted weather-related outages in recent years is the potential for disruptions in the supply of the fuels that generators rely on. When pipelines and transportation systems are compromised during a storm, facilities may face power loss when their fuel supply runs out. Microgrids equipped with more than one generation source provide flexibility that allows the site to reduce its dependence on any one source.
Metropolitan Ministries near Tampa, Florida used a traditional microgrid chose for its facility that serves up to 30,000 people with food and shelter during hurricanes.
The microgrid itself was configured with a single point of contact with the grid and advanced paralleling switchgear. The system has the ability to isolate from the grid automatically an outage or when it is called upon by local utility TECO for load management purposes. This support for the main grid provides the utility with additional capacity from the generator, and it results in a reduced bill for Metropolitan Ministries whenever TECO uses it.
The end result was a success, as Metropolitan Ministries was able to service tens of thousands of people, providing necessary services and saving lives.
In September 2011, a massive power outage affected nearly 7 million people near Yuma, Arizona, including the nearby Yuma Marine Corp Air Station (MCAS). This prompted local utility APS and the Yuma MCAS to jointly pursue a microgrid solution. PowerSecure designed and installed a system delivering 25 MW of power, as well as autonomous frequency control and peak load management functionality. The microgrid meets 100% of MCAS’ standby power requirements, has the flexibility to add generation capacity as power needs grow, and comes with 365/24/7 monitoring and maintenance services.
The Yuma MCAS now remains equipped to maintain power resilience even in the event of major weather events.
To learn more about how microgrids can help deliver measurable economic and environmental benefits while ensuring business resilience through a reliable power supply, contact us to schedule a free consultation with a PowerSecure energy expert.