Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website.
Skip to main content
Home
    • Contact Panasonic
    • Save Page
    • Home
    • Green Living
    • Trends & Technology
    • Pioneered by UW professor, microgrids enable energy independence, resiliency
    Back to Resource Center

    Pioneered by UW professor, microgrids enable energy independence, resiliency

    • Contact us
      • Twitter
      • Facebook
      • Linkedin
      • Email
    Father and daughter enjoy outdoors

    Pioneered by UW professor, microgrids enable energy independence, resiliency

    Chris Hubbuch

    Good ideas placed into action lead to innovation. This sort of forward thinking is advancing renewable energy initiatives across the country. Find out how one visionary college professor and a Wisconsin energy services firm are helping connect microgrids, solar power, communities and people to more sustainable energy sources.

    Proponents of a less centralized electric system envision a future in which residents, businesses and communities own and operate solar panels augmented with batteries and other generators hooked together in so-called microgrids.

    So what exactly is a microgrid?

    It's a self-contained electric system that can seamlessly connect and disconnect from the main power grid, said Bob Lasseter, the UW-Madison professor who coined the term in the early 2000s.

    University of Wisconsin, Bascom Hall

    Lasseter helped pioneer the technology after seeing a small natural-gas-powered generator with a system to capture heat given off by the engine. Instead of going to waste, this energy could be used to heat and cool a building.

    Moving generators closer to where power was needed, Lasseter realized, eliminated a lot of waste from the traditional system of remote power plants connected by long wires.

    "I got really intrigued and started realizing that small energy sources … are actually going to have an impact," he said.

    Microgrid technology is expected to be a critical part of incorporating large amounts of solar electricity into the grid and making the overall grid more stable.

    Renewable energy and relay station

    Unlike generators, which produce electrical current by spinning magnets around coils of wires, most solar panels rely on the electrical grid to function.

    "If the power goes out it just shuts down," said Tom Jahns, professor of power electronics and electrical machines at UW-Madison.

    If there are a relatively small number of solar panels in a system, that's no problem; but when solar starts to outnumber spinning generators, Jahns said, "the system gets more wobbly."

    Microgrids also make the system more resilient to natural and human-made disruptions. When the power goes out, a microgrid automatically disconnects and continues operating as an "island," Jahns said. Microgrids can also help get the larger grid back up and running.

    The cost of microgrid controllers is still prohibitive for many applications, but the technology is becoming more commonplace. Navigant Research has identified more than 2,250 projects planned or installed as of the end of 2018.

    Working model

    One such project, built by Menasha-based Faith Technologies, has been running for the last year at the Gordon Bubolz Nature Preserve in Appleton.

    Gordon Bubolz Nature Preserve microgrid, Appleton WI.jpg

    Gordon Bubolz Nature Preserve state-of-the-art microgrid. Photo Credit: PostCresent.com, Wochit

    On an overcast day in early May with temperatures hovering around 50 degrees, two fields of solar panels were kicking out a little more than twice what was needed to supply an 18,000-square-foot lodge, an educational center and a handful of outbuildings.

    Most of the excess was being used to charge a 100-kilowatt battery, which also drew from a natural-gas fired microturbine that doubles as a heater. An extra 2.5 kilowatts was being fed into utility power lines, although the project is too large to receive payment for excess generation.

    "We're very generous," said Caramy Biederman, the project's lead engineer.

    With its combination of generation and storage – there's a fuel cell, powered with hydrogen that is produced with excess solar power, and a backup natural gas generator – the grid is controlled by a central computer, which balances supply and demand in much the same way as the large grid.

    The $3 million system, believed to be the first of its kind in Wisconsin, includes more generation than needed but it allows Faith to experiment with different configurations.

    "We basically built several microgrids into one," Biederman said.

    Solar Farm. Green Fields Blue Sky, Sustainable Renewable Energy.

    For example, it might be more efficient to run the microturbine all-out and store the extra energy; or to use utility electricity at night when it's cheaper and save the batteries for a cloudy afternoon.

    Faith Technologies donated the system – along with the new lodge – to help Bubolz be more sustainable and as a way to demonstrate its microgrid systems for potential clients, usually commercial or industrial companies looking to cut energy costs.

    Steve Nieland, the company's director of energy solutions, said in most cases a microgrid system can pay for itself in 10 to 15 years.

    "Microgrid technology and the grid really are things that work hand in hand together," Nieland said. "We like to think microgrid technology is going to help the grid and provide more resiliency while reducing that carbon footprint."

     

    This article is written by Chris Hubbuch from The Wisconsin State Journal and was legally licensed via the Tribune Content Agency through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.

    Related Posts

    Modern passive house with solar panels and white roof for energy efficiency.
    Homeowner Insights

    6 Key Benefits of Creating a Solar-Powered Home

    Has switching your home to solar power become a no-brainer?
    Learn more
    asian family with one child having fun in the woods
    Homeowner Insights

    Why you should unify your home energy system in 2021

    Purchasing the components of your solar & storage system from a single brand has its benefits.
    Learn more
    Sunset over solar panels
    Trends & Technology

    Solar-plus-storage poised to become more financially attractive, but seasonal solutions remain key

    The current and future state of solar power and energy storage in America.
    Learn more
    Father and son hiking through the mountain at sunrise
    Trends & Technology

    4 home renewable energy predictions in 2021

    Panasonic's Dan Glaser gives his residential renewable energy predictions and outlook for 2021.
    Learn more
    Wooden blocks with the word ROI and green arrow up. High level of business profitability. Return on investment, invested capital, rate. Success. Growth. Analytics. Report
    Financial & Incentives

    How quickly will your solar panels pay for themselves?

    Understanding payback period and return on investment of your solar panel purchase.
    Learn more
    Businesswomen discussing by table in office
    Financial & Incentives

    How to accelerate solar adoption for the underserved

    As solar panels have become more affordable, there's no reason home solar has to be exclusive to upper income households.
    Learn more
    Caucasian family sitting in a teepee, reading stories with the flashlight in dark room with toys and pillows. Caucasian models. Home comfort, family, love, Christmas holidays, storytelling time.
    Homeowner Insights

    How Homeowners Can Prepare For Rolling Blackouts

    Common questions and answers about rolling blackouts and solar-powered homes.
    Learn more
    Older female farmer with granddaughter
    Sustainability & Environment

    Mayors unveil $60B plan to support Midwest energy transition

    As fossil fuel use continues to decline, Midwest officials want to build on the green movement foundation.
    Learn more
    Buildings & Roof Tops Of Bisbee, Arizona
    Trends & Technology

    A $100 million investment will fund the largest ‘virtual power plant’ in the U.S.

    Combining innovative thinking and technology, companies are redefining how energy can be saved, re-distributed and consumed more efficiently.
    Learn more
    Brush Fire Threatening Homes
    Trends & Technology

    Why are Home Batteries Becoming so Popular?

    More homeowners are choosing to install battery storage. Here are the reasons behind the growth.
    Learn more
    Happy mother talking to her baby while working at home. unpublished
    Financial & Incentives

    Financing Renewable Energy: It's Easier Than You Think

    As demand for home batteries surges, new financing options provide greater flexibility for homeowners.
    Learn more
    Foreman shows house design plans
    Homeowner Insights

    What to Expect During Your Solar Panel Installation

    Expert installers: Here's how we prepare your home for a successful solar installation.
    Learn more
    Back to Trends
     

    Thank you for your submission. A Panasonic representative will contact you.

    • About Us
    • News
    • Careers
    • Investor Relations
    • Social Impact
    • Contact Us
    • Do Not Sell My Data

    Get the Latest on Panasonic Trends

    Thanks for signing up!

    Connect with us

    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • Linkedin
    • Instagram Link
    • Youtube

    Select Country/Language

    • United States - English
    • Canada - English
    • Canada - Français
    © 2020 Panasonic Corporation of North America. All Rights Reserved.
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Terms
    • Panasonic Global
    • Consumer
    • Industrial
    Reviewed by Accessible 360
    Reviewed by Accessible 360