Micro-grids Rank High for Top Utility Issues 2012

by Peter Lilienthal, Ph.D. 05.17.2012

The Intelligent Utility newsletter lists their take on the: “Top Five Issues of 2012 (so far)”.  Of the five issues listed two of them speak directly to the core of HOMER Energy’s business. Issue # 1: Keeping the lights on while integrating renewables… Issue # 4: Dealing with intrusions into their business domain such as [...]

Read the full article →

End “Drive by Development” – HOMER’s Nathan Johnson Focuses on Rural Energy Needs

by Marilyn Walker, Ph.D. 04.23.2012

Nathan Johnson is working with HOMER Energy for a year through a fellowship provided by the National Science Foundation and the American Society for Engineering Education. Nate has just completed a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Iowa State University. He is focusing on developing the new HOMER Energy algorithm for the smart grid and beyond. [...]

Read the full article →

Microgrid Value Propositions

by Peter Lilienthal, Ph.D. 01.13.2012

Microgrids are power systems that can operate autonomously using combinations of conventional generation technologies, such as diesel gensets and combined heat and power systems, renewable resources, other new generation technologies, such as micro-turbines and fuel cells, energy storage systems, and load management systems.  They have three distinct value propositions that are useful for segmenting their [...]

Read the full article →

Solar Energy International Honors Walt Ratterman as a “Solar Hero”

by Marilyn Walker, Ph.D. 12.14.2011

Solar Energy International of Carbondale, Colorado USA has a established a scholarship fund in honor of fallen solar hero Walt Ratterman, who lost his life in the 2010 Haiti Earthquake: “SEI is deeply saddened by the loss of Walt Ratterman, who perished in the January 12, 2010 earthquake in Haiti.  Walt was an instructor, alumni, [...]

Read the full article →

The Island Energy Challenge

by Peter Lilienthal, Ph.D. 10.19.2011

Petroleum is the problem Islands face extreme challenges from an energy security perspective. Pipelines supplying inexpensive and plentiful natural gas are not an option for them.  Only very large islands, such as Taiwan, can use coal or nuclear. These factors have left most of them completely dependent on liquid fuels derived from petroleum, mostly diesel.  [...]

Read the full article →

Clean micro-grid technologies are going to change the utility industry

by Peter Lilienthal, Ph.D. 04.18.2011

Large electric grids like we have in North America are awe-inspiring.  They are undoubtedly the most complex machines ever built.  People don’t usually think of them as a machine, but really they are a set of components connected by wires just like any electronic machine.  Only in this case it spans millions of square miles [...]

Read the full article →

Powering Health

by Peter Lilienthal, Ph.D. 04.04.2011

HOMER Energy has renewed its contract with the US Agency for International Development and Tetratech to design hybrid renewable energy systems for rural health clinics and hospitals in Haiti. Called “Powering Health,” the work includes updates to a simplified online model of the HOMER software www.homerenergy.com customized to the needs of rural health clinics. The [...]

Read the full article →

The Other Problem with Nuclear Power

by Peter Lilienthal, Ph.D. 03.19.2011

I got into renewable energy in the 1970’s, partially in response to the prospect of an expansion of nuclear power.  I was videotaped by CBS News at Seabrook asking people to hire me to chop wood for them rather than support nuclear power.  Then Three Mile Island happened and for 3 decades it looked like [...]

Read the full article →

← Previous Entries