ACEP Director Attends Verge Microgrid Summit

ACEP Director Gwen Holdmann attended the Microgrid Summit, part of the Verge Conference last week in Oakland, California.

The summit, focusing on the growing world microgrid market, has the goal of bringing technology and energy leaders together to ensure the safety, security and sustainability of microgrids in both grid-connected and grid-independent modes.

Holdmann will share Alaska’s role in renewable energy microgrid development. Today, more than 70 of Alaska’s microgrids, which represent approximately 12 percent of renewably powered microgrids in the world, incorporate grid-scale renewable generation, including small hydro, wind, geothermal, solar and biomass energy sources.

Holdmann joined top leaders in energy and technology, including representatives from Google, Siemens, Intel, GM, Duke Energy and many more organizations.

The decreasing cost of technology is making microgrids more affordable, and a growing corps of both big and small companies are offering microgrid components, as well as plug-and-play systems for corporations, cities, military installations and universities.