HOMER Energy Blog http://blog.homerenergy.com Optimizing Clean Power Everywhere Fri, 26 Apr 2013 18:27:05 +0000 en-US hourly 1 The Problem with 100% Renewable Energy http://blog.homerenergy.com/the-problem-with-100-renewable-energy/ http://blog.homerenergy.com/the-problem-with-100-renewable-energy/#comments Thu, 25 Apr 2013 00:05:09 +0000 Peter Lilienthal, Ph.D. http://blog.homerenergy.com/?p=465 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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]]> http://blog.homerenergy.com/the-problem-with-100-renewable-energy/feed/ 14 How to Classify Microgrids: Setting the Stage for a Distributed Generation Energy Future http://blog.homerenergy.com/how-to-classify-microgrids-setting-the-stage-for-a-distributed-generation-energy-future/ http://blog.homerenergy.com/how-to-classify-microgrids-setting-the-stage-for-a-distributed-generation-energy-future/#comments Tue, 02 Apr 2013 21:35:03 +0000 Peter Lilienthal, Ph.D. http://blog.homerenergy.com/?p=450 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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]]> http://blog.homerenergy.com/how-to-classify-microgrids-setting-the-stage-for-a-distributed-generation-energy-future/feed/ 2 Virgin seeks proposals for renewable energy project on Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island http://blog.homerenergy.com/virgin-seeks-proposals-for-renewable-energy-project-on-sir-richard-bransons-necker-island/ http://blog.homerenergy.com/virgin-seeks-proposals-for-renewable-energy-project-on-sir-richard-bransons-necker-island/#comments Wed, 13 Feb 2013 17:34:35 +0000 Marilyn Walker, Ph.D. http://blog.homerenergy.com/?p=438 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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]]> http://blog.homerenergy.com/virgin-seeks-proposals-for-renewable-energy-project-on-sir-richard-bransons-necker-island/feed/ 1 Will the real microgrid please stand up? (What is a microgrid and why should I care?) http://blog.homerenergy.com/will-the-real-microgrid-please-stand-up-what-is-a-microgrid-and-why-should-i-care/ http://blog.homerenergy.com/will-the-real-microgrid-please-stand-up-what-is-a-microgrid-and-why-should-i-care/#comments Tue, 30 Oct 2012 00:28:18 +0000 Marilyn Walker, Ph.D. http://blog.homerenergy.com/?p=383 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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]]> http://blog.homerenergy.com/will-the-real-microgrid-please-stand-up-what-is-a-microgrid-and-why-should-i-care/feed/ 0 Smart Microgrids: Scripps Ranch Recreation Center Microgrid Installed http://blog.homerenergy.com/smart-microgrids-scripps-ranch-recreation-center-microgrid-installed/ http://blog.homerenergy.com/smart-microgrids-scripps-ranch-recreation-center-microgrid-installed/#comments Tue, 02 Oct 2012 23:17:40 +0000 Marilyn Walker, Ph.D. http://blog.homerenergy.com/?p=397 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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]]> http://blog.homerenergy.com/smart-microgrids-scripps-ranch-recreation-center-microgrid-installed/feed/ 2 Island Energy: How to get to high penetrations of renewable energy on islands http://blog.homerenergy.com/island-energy-how-to-get-to-high-penetrations-of-renewable-energy-on-islands/ http://blog.homerenergy.com/island-energy-how-to-get-to-high-penetrations-of-renewable-energy-on-islands/#comments Tue, 02 Oct 2012 23:00:24 +0000 Marilyn Walker, Ph.D. http://blog.homerenergy.com/?p=394 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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]]> http://blog.homerenergy.com/island-energy-how-to-get-to-high-penetrations-of-renewable-energy-on-islands/feed/ 0 The Microgrid Learning Series: Introduction and Overview http://blog.homerenergy.com/the-microgrid-learning-series-introduction-and-overview/ http://blog.homerenergy.com/the-microgrid-learning-series-introduction-and-overview/#comments Wed, 05 Sep 2012 21:06:13 +0000 Marilyn Walker, Ph.D. http://blog.homerenergy.com/?p=367 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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]]> http://blog.homerenergy.com/the-microgrid-learning-series-introduction-and-overview/feed/ 3 HOMER helps bring electricity to remote areas of Afghanistan http://blog.homerenergy.com/homer-helps-bring-electricity-to-remote-areas-of-afghanistan/ http://blog.homerenergy.com/homer-helps-bring-electricity-to-remote-areas-of-afghanistan/#comments Wed, 18 Jul 2012 20:37:44 +0000 Marilyn Walker, Ph.D. http://blog.homerenergy.com/?p=340 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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]]> http://blog.homerenergy.com/homer-helps-bring-electricity-to-remote-areas-of-afghanistan/feed/ 0 HOMER Energy Welcomes NSF/ASEE Summer Fellows http://blog.homerenergy.com/new-staff-at-homer-energy/ http://blog.homerenergy.com/new-staff-at-homer-energy/#comments Mon, 11 Jun 2012 19:14:40 +0000 Daniel Walker http://blog.homerenergy.com/?p=272 This June, HOMER Energy welcomes two new members to the team. Steve Frank and Kathryn Schumacher are joining HOMER this summer as part of the NSF/ASEE Engineering Innovation Fellows Program (EIFP). This program brings together NSF fellows with leading industry partners such as HOMER Energy. Steve Frank began his engineering career with a B.S. from [...]

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]]> http://blog.homerenergy.com/new-staff-at-homer-energy/feed/ 0 Micro-grids Rank High for Top Utility Issues 2012 http://blog.homerenergy.com/micro-grids-rank-high-for-top-utility-issues-2012/ http://blog.homerenergy.com/micro-grids-rank-high-for-top-utility-issues-2012/#comments Thu, 17 May 2012 18:22:21 +0000 Peter Lilienthal, Ph.D. http://blog.homerenergy.com/?p=268 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 [...]

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