The microgrid market is currently moving into full-scale commercialization with the launch of dozens of successful pilot programs globally, decreasing costs of solar photovoltaic (PV), and a relaxing of prohibitions against distributed generation operation during times of grid stress, including the ability to island from the larger utility grid during emergencies. As with any new … Continue reading Microgrids
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Grid Integration of Wind Energy and Solar Power Is Cheap
The latest numbers on the wind industry show wind energy generating an increasingly significant portion of U.S. electricity. Wind became, for the first time, the biggest source of new generating capacity in 2012, at 42 percent. That pushed the renewables
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Technological progress brings Europe-wide electricity grid closer
Recent technological advances by leading engineering companies to improve the integration of renewable energy, especially wind energy, within Europe’s power grid by 2020, will bring a pan-European electricity grid closer to reality. Last year, the Swiss-based engineering company ABB announced the development of the world’s first circuit breaker for high voltage direct current (HVDC). “This … Continue reading Technological progress brings Europe-wide electricity grid closer
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Parliament gives go-ahead to energy infrastructure package guidelines
The European Parliament yesterday gave its green light to the guidelines for the EU energy infrastructure package, which sets out corridors for Europe-wide energy infrastructure, seeks to speed-up permits and identifies priority projects, including an offshore electricity grid in the North Sea.
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Revenue from Smart Grid Power Line Communications Systems Will Surpass $418 Million Annually by 2020
Power line communications (PLC) systems, which allow data to be sent across power lines, are used in many segments of the electricity grid. The expansion of smart grids is fueling increased utility interest in the technology, specifically the use of PLC to handle communications across the neighborhood area network and to connect electricity or gas … Continue reading Revenue from Smart Grid Power Line Communications Systems Will Surpass $418 Million Annually by 2020
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AeroVironment Integrates Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Technology into Electric Vehicle Charging Systems
AeroVironment, Inc. and the United States Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), managed by Battelle, announced a commercial license agreement for a technology that supports widespread adoption of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) by helping to stabilize the electrical grid — the network of electricity generation, transmission and distribution that powers the nation.
Continue readingOffshore wind energy: TenneT awards
Transmission System Operator TenneT has awarded the DolWin3 offshore project to Alstom. This project connects the North Sea wind farms to the mainland supergrid and has an investment volume of more than €1 billion. “With this project, we help to take the energy turnaround another step forward and make it possible for offshore wind energy … Continue reading Offshore wind energy: TenneT awards
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Virtual Power Plants
Pike Research defines a virtual power plant (VPP) as a system that relies upon software systems to remotely and automatically dispatch and optimize generation, demand-side, or storage resources (including plug-in electric vehicles and bi-directional inverters) in a single, secure web-connected system. VPPs can provide extraordinary value and services to transmission and distribution (T&D) grid infrastructure, … Continue reading Virtual Power Plants
Continue readingSmart Grid Deployment
Smart meter shipments in the second half of 2012 grew in comparison to the first half of the year. The total volume reached 19.75 million meters worldwide in 3Q 2012 and 20.95 million meters in 4Q 2012. Overall for the year, smart meter shipments were up 1.03% over 2011. The big driver came from China, … Continue reading Smart Grid Deployment
Continue readingChina: State Grid to boost small-scale power generation
The State Grid will introduce more distributed generation fueled by solar energy, wind energy, natural gas, biomass energy, geothermal energy, oceanic energy and complex resources into its own network, according to a SGCC guideline. The State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC), the country’s largest energy distributor, vowed to facilitate the use of distributed power generation. … Continue reading China: State Grid to boost small-scale power generation
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Variable Utility Rate Plans for Electric Vehicle Drivers Will Have Little Impact
For electric utility companies, the increasing market adoption of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) represents both a significant business opportunity and a series of challenges. Many observers have suggested that variable rate plans specific to PEV owners could be a lucrative business model for utilities. According to a new report from Pike Research, a part of … Continue reading Variable Utility Rate Plans for Electric Vehicle Drivers Will Have Little Impact
Continue readingVariable Utility Rate Plans for Electric Vehicle Drivers Will Have Little Impact
For electric utility companies, the increasing market adoption of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) represents both a significant business opportunity and a series of challenges. Many observers have suggested that variable rate plans specific to PEV owners could be a lucrative business model for utilities. According to a new report from Pike Research, a part of … Continue reading Variable Utility Rate Plans for Electric Vehicle Drivers Will Have Little Impact
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Offshore wind energy: TenneT awards DolWin3 wind power project to Alstom
TenneT awards offshore grid connection project DolWin3 to Alstom. Third grid connection in the DolWin cluster with a capacity of 900 MW. Connection with new DC technology over a distance of 162 km. TenneT connects 6.2 GW of Offshore wind energy, already meeting more than half of the German government’s goals (11 GW until 2022). … Continue reading Offshore wind energy: TenneT awards DolWin3 wind power project to Alstom
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Smart Grid Technologies
Smart grid technologies include transmission upgrades, substation automation, distribution automation, smart grid IT/OT, and smart metering. Many complex smart grid programs based on these technologies have begun, but the scale of what remains to be done is enormous. A number of countries with populations over 100 million have not yet seen notable smart grid deployment … Continue reading Smart Grid Technologies
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Smart City Tracker 1Q13
The number of cities around the world embracing the smart city concept is growing rapidly. National governments and international agencies are also supporting smart city developments, often with significant investments. Suppliers have been equally active in developing and promoting new offerings to support innovation in city management. This widespread interest in smart city programs is … Continue reading Smart City Tracker 1Q13
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Iberdrola deploys smart grid technology in United States, Spain and United Kingdom
Iberdrola is embracing new technologies through different projects designed to incorporate modern power grids in the regions where the company operates. This new infrastructure, based on remote control and grid automation, enables the Company to provide clients with new products and services, and entails significantly improved quality of electricity supply. The grid transformation will also … Continue reading Iberdrola deploys smart grid technology in United States, Spain and United Kingdom
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Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Market to Surpass $3.8 Billion by 2020
Although sales of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) to date have been lower than previously forecast, the PEV market is expected to continue to grow, and to see stronger growth when the worldwide economy improves and as battery prices come down. A key enabler, and a direct result, of that growth will be expanding sales of … Continue reading Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Market to Surpass $3.8 Billion by 2020
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California Sets 50M W Target for Grid Energy Storage
That’s how much energy storage capacity the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) is asking Southern California Edison to procure over the next eight years, according to a final decision issued. It’s not a lot, compared to the total of 1,400 to 1,800 megawatts CPUC is asking the massive Southern California utility to procure between now … Continue reading California Sets 50M W Target for Grid Energy Storage
Continue readingFor Nissan LEAF owners in the Netherlands, charging is about to get faster and easier
Nissan LEAF owners can follow the development of new stations on a dedicated website (www.leafhebbers.nl) and will be pleased to hear they can use the quick chargers free of charge until May 31, 2013. This latest initiative follows a similar project in Belgium, where Nissan also partnered with The New Motion to help extend the … Continue reading For Nissan LEAF owners in the Netherlands, charging is about to get faster and easier
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New York’s Bloomberg Calls for More Electric Vehicle Charging
In his twelfth and final State of the City address, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg called to make the city a national leader in electric vehicles. He will start with a pilot for curbside Level III fast chargers. More importantly, Bloomberg will change the building code so that up to 20 percent of new … Continue reading New York’s Bloomberg Calls for More Electric Vehicle Charging
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