The Problem with 100% Renewable Energy

by Peter Lilienthal, Ph.D. 04.24.2013
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The New York Times reported recently on the work of a group of Stanford researchers, who published a piece in the journal Energy Policy claiming that the main issues with 100% renewables are neither economic nor technical but rather social and political will. Jesse Berst of Smart Grid News countered with a title that included [...]

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How to Classify Microgrids: Setting the Stage for a Distributed Generation Energy Future

by Peter Lilienthal, Ph.D. 04.02.2013
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In this post by HOMER CEO Dr. Peter Lilienthal, we consider the problem of how to classify microgrids. This is a special entry in our microgrid learning series. Although microgrids are becoming more and more prevalent in both the press and in energy world, there is no common definition of exactly what constitutes a microgrid [...]

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Virgin seeks proposals for renewable energy project on Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island

by Marilyn Walker, Ph.D. 02.13.2013
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http://pdf.reuters.com/htmlnews/8knews.asp?i=43059c3bf0e37541&u=urn:newsml:reuters.com:20130212:nBw126722a WASHINGTON–(Business Wire)– The Carbon War Room (CWR), Homer Energy, and Reznick Think Energy, LLC (RTE) launched a request for proposals (RFP) today on behalf of Virgin Limited Edition for the provision of renewable energy and energy services on Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands, home of Sir Richard Branson. The goals of the [...]

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Will the real microgrid please stand up? (What is a microgrid and why should I care?)

by Marilyn Walker, Ph.D. 10.29.2012

This is the second post in the HOMER Energy Microgrid Learning Series, designed to help the layperson understand what microgrids are and why they will soon be a household word. Microgrids are independent energy systems that provide grid backup or off-grid power. A slightly more technical definition is a local power network that uses distributed [...]

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Smart Microgrids: Scripps Ranch Recreation Center Microgrid Installed

by Marilyn Walker, Ph.D. 10.02.2012

After careful planning (and wise application of the HOMER software), the City of San Diego, California now has a smart microgrid. The solution, commissioned by Princeton Power, integrates a 30kW photovoltaic (PV) array with a 100 kilowatt hour lithium-ion battery, which is designed to keep the facility running in the event of a power outage. [...]

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Island Energy: How to get to high penetrations of renewable energy on islands

by Marilyn Walker, Ph.D. 10.02.2012

With the cost of diesel continuing to rise and the cost of solar PV continuing to fall, the economics of renewable energy for islands, where diesel generation has been the norm, continue to improve. Island utilities and governments wishing to incorporate renewable energy into their mix want to know just how high they can go. [...]

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The Microgrid Learning Series: Introduction and Overview

by Marilyn Walker, Ph.D. 09.05.2012
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Welcome to the first in a series of articles about microgrids, written specifically for people interested in clean energy and clean tech but without a background in power system engineering. If you have an interest in renewable energy, and in maximizing how much renewable energy is used throughout the world, then you should have some [...]

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HOMER helps bring electricity to remote areas of Afghanistan

by Marilyn Walker, Ph.D. 07.18.2012
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Phys.org reported today that Mahdi, Sadiqi, a recent graduate of Kansas State University and native of Afghanistan, used the HOMER software to model robust, reliable energy systems for remote areas of Afghanistan. Although HOMER is increasingly used for state of the art microgrid design, this example goes back to HOMER’s roots as a tool for [...]

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