Utility Microgrids Value Stack: 8 Revenue Streams Explained Clean Power Hour podcast

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Utility Microgrids Value Stack: 8 Revenue Streams Explained

1d ago 51:28

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Microgrids offer utilities eight distinct value stacks (or streams), yet most still treat them as experimental pilots. Today on the Clean Power Hour, we reveal how microgrids are strategic network assets that deliver value every single day, not just when the grid fails.

Martin Szczepanik is Director of Energy and Resources at Baringa, a global energy consultancy. He brings 11 years of utility strategy experience, including work with SolarCity, major West Coast utilities, and renewable energy developers. Baringa recently released a white paper called "From Pilots to Portfolios: Scaling the Rollout of Utility Microgrids."

Key Discussion Points:

• The complete microgrid value stack: resilience, distribution capacity deferral, transmission capacity deferral, ancillary services, energy arbitrage, generation capacity deferral, avoided emissions, and avoided public safety power shutoffs (PSPS)

• Why resilience differs from reliability: climate-driven extreme weather events versus age and condition-driven outages

• How billion-dollar natural disasters increased from once every 90 days in the 1980s to once every 19 days today, which necessitates the increased need for microgrids

• Distribution and transmission capacity deferral: using microgrids to avoid $5-10 million infrastructure upgrades

• Energy arbitrage opportunities: charging batteries when solar floods the grid, discharging during peak demand

• FERC 2222 enabling distributed energy resources to participate in wholesale markets and earn revenue

• California wildfires and PSPS (Public Safety Power Shutoffs) events: how microgrids reduce the cost of de-energizing lines

• Why utilities need to assess microgrids in distribution planning instead of defaulting to substations and reconductoring

Connect with Martin Szczepanik, Baringa

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/martinszczepanik/

Website: www.baringa.com/en/about/regions/north-america/microgrids/

Whitepaper: www.baringa.com/en/insights/digitising-the-energy-system/scaling-microgrids/

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The Clean Power Hour is brought to you by CPS America, maker of North America’s number one 3-phase string inverter, with over 6GW shipped in the US. With a focus on commercial and utility-scale solar and energy storage, the company partners with customers to provide unparalleled performance and service. The CPS America product lineup includes 3-phase string inverters from 25kW to 275kW, exceptional data communication and controls, and energy storage solutions designed for seamless integration with CPS America systems. Learn more at www.chintpowersystems.com

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