July 9, 2012 - The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection is rolling out a $20 million microgrid program, recruiting businesses wanting to stay operating if — or when — the rest of the state goes dark.
Specifically, DEEP wants businesses such as gas stations and grocery stores to join critical load centers in downtowns. The state also encourages businesses with large campuses — such as Stratford helicopter manufacturer Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. — to set up their own internal microgrids.
"We hope to launch a handful of these by the end of the year," DEEP Commissioner Dan Esty said. "The main advantage for the company is it provides some continuity and the ability to remain operating."
Microgrids became the buzzword in Connecticut following Tropical Storm Irene and the Oct. 29 snowstorm, when nearly 1 million businesses and homes lost power, some for more than a week. The state and the utilities look to microgrids as part of Connecticut's overall resiliency strategy.
A microgrid is a form of distributed generation, which is an extremely localized power source providing power to either one ratepayer or a small number of ratepayers. Occasionally, distributed generation will feed electricity back onto the main power grid. Solar panels placed on rooftops or businesses with generators are examples of distributed generation. read more>>>
No comments:
Post a Comment