| | DEC 2019 - JAN 20209E ERGYTech Reviewmore oftentimes than not, it serves you better to decide what part of your operations ­ if any ­ can go without power when the grid goes down.For example, a supermarket's mission might just be to remain open to the public during an outage to provide resources and food to its local community. In this case, only some portions of the retailer's load needs to be carried by the microgrid, such as refrigeration to prevent spoilage and ensuring some of the registers and internal lighting stays on, while things like internal temperature control and parking lot lighting can be dropped.Next, determine your load's capacity factor requirements ­ perhaps your facility is only open during the day and closed at night, or maybe it is open 24x7. Discerning your daily usage or seasonal usage profile requirements will help you couple your power demands with the right energy supply. If your business involves processes that run all day, every day, renewable energy sources such as solar or wind may not be practical solutions on their own. Because they are intermittent, their capacity factor is limited; consequently, they may not be able to supply all the power you need during the entire time you need it. For high tech manufacturers, data centers, or hospitals, that's a risk they oftentimes can't take. This is why many microgrids incorporate an energy source with a high capacity factor ­ one that can run continuously, including solutions such as fuel cells, diesel or gas engines, as well as combined heat and power (CHP) systems. These systems serve as the foundation of a microgrid, and other resources like renewables and batteries can be integrated to serve additional purposes. Finally, you must consider the fuel supply in your microgrid assessment. Diesel engines require reliance on onsite fuel reserves or delivery trucks. During storms and other widespread power outages when the entire region is looking for diesel, supplies will be prioritized for hospitals, and delivery trucks may be impeded by dangerous weather and road conditions. Alternatively, the strong underground pipeline system that delivers natural gas is a mesh network, providing constant fuel and greatly reducing the risk of supply issues. Thus, fuel cells, CHP, and gas engines can offer greater reliability with more secure fuel supply and are typically recommended as the primary foundation of your supply-side resource.Ultimately, a microgrid must be customized for your needs. All microgrids are not created equal, but thorough evaluation of your facility's power demand and investigation into the power supply that would best support it, you'll uncover the path to true energy resiliency for your business. All microgrids are not created equal, but through evaluation of your facility's power demand and investigation into the power supply that would best support it, you'll uncover the path to true energy resiliency for your business
< Page 8 | Page 10 >