How Utilities are Leveraging Storage & Microgrids

DEKALB, Ill. - Feb. 10, 2020 - PRLog -- Utilities are looking to the future: both investor-owned and municipal utilities are exploring the role that energy storage and microgrid projects will play in their portfolios. Key deployments and initiatives are beginning to help map a course forward for utilities across North America.

To further this trend, a special utility perspectives panel led by NextEnergy at the Microgrid Global Innovation Forum – North America next month will focus on the activities of three leading energy providers in the microgrid space. The case studies will provide deep-dive insight into lessons learned to date by major utilities, with an eye toward key takeaways for future strategy development.

Speakers are:

·         Tracy West, Director, Research & Development, Southern Company
·         Andre Gouin, Business Technology Consultant, Xcel Energy
·         Brandie Ekren, Executive Director, Strategic Planning & Development, Lansing Board of Water & Light (LBWL)
·         Nathalie Osborn, LEED A.P., Director, Smart Grid Initiatives, NextEnergy

Southern Company will share lessons learned from their Birmingham Smart Neighborhoods ® Initiative which incorporates a community-scale microgrid, rooftop solar, battery storage, energy efficiency and smart home technologies. Xcel Energy will provide an overview of their Peña Station NEXT connected community powered by a microgrid, renewables and enhanced mobility solutions. Finally, Lansing Board of Water will provide the municipal utility perspective on how they are investing in community solar and energy storage projects.

The panel session just is one of several at this year's MGIF – North America, March 10-11 in Chicago.  Organized by the Smart Grid Observer, the annual conference brings together key thought leaders, utilities, energy providers, and other stakeholders to examine the latest developments and lessons learned in the North America microgrid sector.

"As in previous years, this is a tremendous opportunity to interact directly with companies at the cutting-edge of microgrid deployment," says Daniel Coran, Editor of Smart Grid Observer and program manager for the forum. "Top industry experts will be speaking who are pushing the envelope in terms of leveraging microgrids for grid resiliency, service flexibility, and DER integration."

The Forum will be held at the Chicago Conference Center, 205 W. Wacker Drive in downtown Chicago. Previous versions of the Forum have been held in Irvine, California; Barcelona, Lisbon, Pasadena, London, and Washington D.C.  A Southeast Asia edition will be held next month, on April 22-23 in Bangkok.

West Monroe Partners is Gold Sponsor of the Chicago forum.  Silver sponsors are Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) and Modelon.

For full information and to register for the conference, visit www.microgridinnovation.com.  Attendees who enter the special discount code SGO20 when registering will receive 20% off the standard rates.