A revolution in energy generation is happening. The days when millions of people’s electricity needs were met by a handful of large coal, nuclear and gas-fired power stations are waning. People are increasingly installing solar panels on their rooftops or investing in other renewable energy devices. It’s great for Britain’s goals under the Paris Climate Agreement – the country’s grid recently broke an important record for low carbon emissions. ut something else is happening to the grid as energy generation changes – the rise of microgrids. These smaller grid systems are linked to localised power sources, often referred to as “distributed generation” sources. For example, a handful of buildings in a city with their own solar panels might be connected to nearby residences. eIn fact, that is exactly the model that LO3 Energy has experimented with in its Brooklyn Microgrid project. Customers signed up to it can choose to power their homes via a range of local renewable energy sources. People with their own solar panels can sell surplus electricity to their neighbours, for example. It’s a peer-to-peer network for electricity.
Wires 18th Sept 2017 read more »
