More than 75 microgrid experts — and over 600 attendees -- joined Microgrid Knowledge in Anaheim, California May 16-17 for Microgrid 2023: Lights On! Click on the slide deck links below to view powerpoint presentations from the event.
Heavy hitting keynotes
Few governments anywhere in the world are pursuing microgrids with the vigor of California. We’re proud to say two of the leaders carving California’s microgrid path served as conference keynotes: Sen. Henry Stern and California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) Commissioner Genevieve Shiroma.
Shiroma has served as a CPUC commissioner since 2019. As such she leads the microgrid proceeding, arguably one of the most comprehensive reviews of microgrid policy yet undertaken by a government agency. Shiroma discussed "Expanding Microgrid Benefits to Diverse California Communities."
But it’s not policy alone that is transforming our energy system. So is technological advancement.
May 16: Innovation, Policy, Economics and More
Keynote Panel: A New Era of Innovation Sweeps the Microgrid Industry
Mark Feasel of FuelCell Energy led a discussion on how the energy world is recasting itself in a way that makes microgrids the logical answer to the problems and promises of electric power’s next era. Industry leaders on the panel offered a glimpse into the latest innovations in microgrid technology, business models, financing and government policy.
Featured speakers:
Jana Gerber - Schneider Electric
Joe Sullivan - PXiSE Energy Solutions
Katrina Pielli - US Department of Energy, Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations
Microgrids 101: A Primer for Those New to Microgrids
What is a microgrid exactly? Is it right for your facility? How do you get started? Who can help? What will it cost? Get answers to the basic questions every microgrid beginner asks and learn from model projects. This session was moderated by Cameron Brooks of Think Microgrid.
Featured speakers:
Mackenzie Owen - Mesa Natural Gas Solutions
Mike Bakas - Ameresco
Sharelynn Moore - Bloom Energy
Microgrid and DER Markets, Planning and Forecasts
Learn how to better understand the current state, challenges and opportunities in distribution capacity planning and use of data — and what the latest research shows us about microgrid growth. This session was moderated by Nishant Sharma of CellCube.
Featured speakers:
Chris Ellis - PowerSecure (View the slide deck)
Julieta Giraldez - Kevala (View the slide deck)
Elham Akhavan - Wood Mackenzie (View the slide deck)
Powering Forward in Policy & Politics
In the energy arena, regulatory and market growth are inextricably intertwined. California is a leader in forging new microgrid policies. What will its efforts to date produce and what’s next on the horizon? This session was moderated by Allie Detrio of the Microgrid Resources Coalition and Reimagine Power. (View the slide deck)
Featured speakers:
Amber Mace - California Council on Science and Technology
Elizabeth Betancourt - Department of Conservation
Coral Abbott - California Strategic Growth Council
Erik Stokes - California Energy Commission
Financing Microgrids in an Uneven Economy: Discussion
What are the current financing conditions and challenges for microgrid projects? What is the lender’s perspective? How can you properly balance risk and reward for your project? Hear from four financial experts with deep insight into energy markets and finance. This session was moderated by Kenneth Horne of Spring Lane Capital.
Featured speakers:
Yashar Barut - Ikeggan (View the slide deck)
Peter Nulsen - Generate Capital
Dave O’Brien - Sapling Financial Consultants
Alberto Mihelcic Bazzana - MUFG
Sponsored Session: How Modular, Hybrid, Renewable Microgrids Fulfill the Global Need for Green Power
This panel looked at the role microgrids play on the road to 2050 by exploring renewable energy challenges and provided an up-to-date overview of primary power generation. The session also explored how natural gas engines are a bridge to a zero-emission future where hydrogen plays a key role. This session was sponsored by Piller Power Systems, Bergen Engines and MarelliMotori and was moderated by Allan Schurr of Enchanted Rock. (View the slide deck, watch the video)
Featured speakers:
Dean Richards - Piller Power Systems
Theo Lorentzos - Bergen Engines
Elvis Thanaj - Marelli USA
How to Get It Done: Overcoming Legacy Obstructions to Microgrids
As legend has it, 23 inventors devised the electric light bulb before Thomas Edison. But it’s Edison’s name we remember because he created a business model for electricity. What models are emerging for microgrids? Here are two exciting possibilities. This session was moderated by Javier Gonzalez of Rolls Royce Solutions America.
Featured speakers:
Rick Bolton - Compass Energy Platform (View the slide deck)
James Charles - Sunnova Energy (View the slide deck)
How to Build a Nationwide EV Network with Microgrids
Microgrids offer a way to guarantee electricity to charge electric vehicles as the central grid becomes increasingly burdened. What’s needed in terms of software, equipment and know-how to capture the full value of microgrids as we electrify transportation? This session was moderated by Peter Asmus of the Alaska Microgrid Group.
Featured speakers:
John Westerman - Schneider Electric (View the slide deck)
Michael Becker - CSA Group (View the slide deck)
Aks Gulhati - Xendee (View the slide deck)
How the Military Will Reach its Bold Microgrid Goals
The Army plans to equip all of its bases with microgrids by 2035 and other branches of the US military have similar goals. What will it take to achieve these goals, what opportunities do they present for microgrid companies and how will they influence broader climate goals? This session was moderated by Adib Naslé of Xendee.
Featured speakers:
David McGeown - US Army Office of Energy Initiatives (CTR)
Michael Geocaris - S&C (View the slide deck)
David Irwin - US Army Office of Energy Initiatives
Jason Smith - Bright Canyon Energy (View the slide deck)
Sponsored Session: The Digital Foundation for Delivering Energy as a Service with Microgrids
Discover the role that microgrids play at the nexus of distributed energy resources, energy services and commercial models. Learn how energy innovators are reimagining energy services delivery with highly scalable platforms that seamlessly take microgrids from concept to operations and activate energy services anywhere. The panel offered a deep understanding of the transformative role of microgrids in empowering energy consumers while enabling new business models for service providers from energy as a service offerings to net zero facilities. This session was sponsored by Spirae. (View the slide deck, watch the video)
How to Incorporate Cleaner Fuels in Microgrids
It’s not enough for today’s microgrids to be resilient. Customers also expect them to offer clean power, whether it’s renewable energy or improvements in traditional fuels. Here are two approaches to creating a more sustainable microgrid. This session was moderated by Mehdi Ganji of Willdan Group.
Featured speakers:
Phil Fischer - Black & Veatch (View the slide deck)
Daniel Girard - Alternative Power Generation (View the slide deck)
Sponsored Session: The Greatest Bang for Your Buck: Getting Projects Contracted and Funded with DER-Asset Optimization
Learn why US energy users and DER portfolio owners are turning to optimization solutions that evaluate site-specific performance data and energy market options to create project proformas that get projects greenlighted. This session was sponsored by CPower and moderated by Millie Knowlton. (View the slide deck, watch the video)
How Communities Are Taking Control of their Energy
Learn how communities overcome technical, financial and social hurdles to build microgrids. The panel presented case studies for communities in wildfire zones and remote regions and was moderated by Ben Parvey of BlueSky Power.
Featured speakers:
Laura Williams - Ageto Energy (view the slide deck)
Sean Lawrence - Lummi Indian Business Council (view the slide deck)
Stephanie Bostwick - Northwest Indian College
Harold Ruckpaul - Eaton (view the slide deck)
May 17: Utilities, Transactive Energy and Mission Critical Microgrids
Keynote Panel: How to Unlock Funding Opportunities Presented by the Inflation Reduction Act
This session was for energy providers, utilities, asset owners, local government, facility managers, fleet managers and corporate sustainability leaders who want to scale their zero-emission efforts by leveraging the new federal law. Erik Svanholm of LightEdison served as moderator.
Featured speakers:
Jerome Garciano - Polsinelli PC
Amanda Corrado - Schneider Electric
Samantha Reifer - Scale Microgrids
The Future of Utility Microgrids
Utilities that lead in microgrid innovation described their projects, programs and achievements, and offered a vision of the future for utility microgrids. This session was moderated by Arnela Smajlovic Djedovic of Siemens.
Featured speakers:
Jason Handley - Duke Energy
Teresa Hansen - Endeavor Business Media
Chris Lynn - Arizona Public Service Company
Jeremy Donnell - Pacific Gas & Electric
Sponsored Session: Microgrid Case Studies: Sweating the Small Stuff (and It's All Small Stuff)
Learn strategies for anticipating and overcoming the “small stuff” that can add delays and cost to your microgrid project. This session included several case studies from federal and utility microgrid projects. This session was sponsored by S&C. (View the slide deck, watch the video)
Featured speakers:
James Lee - S&C
Bob Harwig - S&C
James Wyant - Compass Commissioning & Design
Microgridding Mission Critical Industries that Drive the Economy
Some industries and services simply cannot lose power, among them airports and data centers. This session looked at how a major US airport and a crucial Silicon Valley data center plan to microgrid their facilities. Rod Walton of EnergyTech served as moderator.
Featured speakers:
Steve Pullins - AlphaStruxure (View the slide deck)
Nancy Novack - Compass Datacenters
Transactive Energy Tariffs: A New Path to Market for Microgrids
Pilot programs across the country are demonstrating that transactive energy tariffs can improve on traditional demand response tariffs in terms of supporting grid requirements during times of high demand and system disruptions. What is a transactive energy tariff and how does it work? And what are the revenue opportunities for microgrids? This session was moderated by Trudie Wang of Heila Technologies.
Featured speakers:
Baird Brown - eco(n)law LLC (View the slide deck)
Kay Aikin - Dynamic Grid (View the slide deck)
Fending Off Climate Disasters with Microgrids
A community in Wimauma, Florida, didn’t lose its power even when the feeder to the neighborhood was lost because of strong winds. How? The community was equipped with a sophisticated microgrid. Meanwhile, in Detroit, a community is seeking similar resiliency through the creation of a resilience hub. Discover how these models can keep the lights on even under the worst circumstances. This session was moderated by Bill Becker of ComAp.
Featured speakers:
Geoffrey Oxnam - American Microgrid Solutions
Peter Lilienthal - UL Solutions (View the slide deck)
Bobbi Dillow-Walsh - BlockEnergy (View the slide deck)
Greater Good Awards Presentation
During this session, we presented the Greater Good Awards to those microgrid projects around the world that have had the most impact. The winners are described here.
