Explore the emerging role of backup systems in strengthening grid stability, highlighting real-world success stories and innovative control technologies.
Why leave energy on standby? In this QuickChat, Rod Walton, Managing Editor of EnergyTech, sits down with Todd Jackson, Vice President of Strategic Development at PowerSecure, to explore how large energy consumers can transform idle standby power into active grid assets. Together, they unpack the emerging role of backup systems in bolstering grid resilience, from microgrid-enabled control systems to coordinated utility interactions and real-world success stories.
5 Key Takeaways:
1. Microgrids Are Valuable Grid Resources — Not Just Local Backup
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- Contrary to common myths, microgrids can and do support broader grid resiliency, acting as capacity resources that utilities actively desire. They're not limited to serving only local, on-site loads.
2. Microgrids Aren’t Too Complex — They're Just Customizable
- While often seen as complex, microgrids are better described as “involved.” With proper planning and design, they can be effectively tailored to meet specific customer objectives such as reliability, decarbonization, and cost savings.
3. Not All Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) Are Equal
- Microgrids can integrate a wide mix of DERs (solar, storage, diesel gensets, etc.), but not every DER fits every use case. The optimal mix depends on the customer’s priorities—resiliency, emissions, operational profile, etc.
4. Resiliency and Low Carbon Can Coexist
- It’s a myth that microgrids can’t be both low-emission and highly resilient. Hybrid solutions—such as combining battery storage (charged by renewables) with low-emission generators using renewable fuels—allow microgrids to achieve both goals.
5. Case Study: PGA Tour's Broadcast Center
You can learn more with these additional resources:
Demystifying Microgrids Magazine | PDF to Flipbook
PGA TOUR Studios - A Technical Haven to Innovate Sports Content | PowerSecure
Advanced Microgrid Systems, Hybrid Microgrids | PowerSecure