Come to Our Electricity 2.0 Event on Microgrids and Local Generation Tomorrow
When people think of microgrids and on-site electricity generation, they often think of an exciting new industry that is, however, still in its infancy. Microgrids promise to change how we use power. However, many think they are something that lie in the future. In fact, microgrids and local power generation do have an extraordinary potential to revolutionize energy delivery in the United States as we know it. However, they are here today. In the United States, cogeneration--the local generation of clean electricity in the course of heating a building--is a multi billion dollar business, practiced by many Fortune 500 companies. Clean, local generation of power has been one of the great success stories of clean energy and electricity to date. Microgrids--the local management of power--are well known in Europe and China, the former as a consequence of liberalization over the last decade and in China because there is not yet a single, unified grid. Indeed, the distributed nature of China's electricity sector is one of the secrets of that country's breakneck advances in renewable power. Tomorrow, NDN is convening a panel to discuss a sector poised to grow dramatically in the US. We are fortunate to have four industry leaders who are true pioneers in the field to discuss the potential of the industry and the policy reforms needed to unlock it. Why is local power generation and management so intriguing? First, by moving power closer to the people or user, it solves transmission and line loss problems. Local generation can often cut through the gordian knot of how to site power lines in congested areas. Second, it shifts responsibility for managing load and generation to the edge, promoting energy efficiency. While large grids can help balance intermittency across wide areas, smart, localized grids provide immediate feedback on usage, creating a tighter connection between load and demand. The fact is a truly robust network requires both large and small balancing pools. Third, local generation is tangible, democratic and empowering to users, giving them new control over their energy usage. Fourth, local power networks promote security. Nowhere, perhaps, is the potential of microgrids greater than within the government. Currently, most government facilities have ordinary meters making them vulnerable to blackouts. A diversity of grids, or a network of networks arguably provides far more resilience than a single failsafe grid. Finally, however, in line with our Electricity 2.0 goals, microgrids and localized generation provide a platform for new economic activity involving new participants, ideas and capital. And no one embodies that more than our four panel participants, Sean Casten CEO of Recycled Energy Development, Guy Warner, CEO of Pareto Energy, John Kelly, Deputy Director of the Galvin Initiative and Jeff Marqusee who oversees microgrid efforts at DOD. However, a number of policy barriers are currently constraining the growth of this sector. Come learn about thse tomorrow as we discuss the job creating economic potential of the sector and the policy measures needed to unleash it. Here are the details: Electricity 2.0: Understanding the Transformative Potential of Microgrids and Distributed Power with: Sean Casten, President and CEO of Recycled Energy Development, a global leader in combined heat and power. Guy Warner, CEO of Pareto Energy, a pioneer in microgrid development John Kelly, Deputy Director of the Galvin Electricity Initiative which has championed “perfect power” microgrid development Dr. Jeff Marqusee, Executive Director of SERDP/ESTCP, who is leading microgrid initiatives at the US Department of Defense. November 10, 12:30 pm Lunch to be served NDN Event Space 729 15th Street, NW First Floor Washington, DC RSVP
