Time for a Moonshot Goal for Distributed Energy Resources?
By Elisa Wood, Energy Changemakers
Ken Horne was watching Minecraft on YouTube with his 10-year-old child when an ad popped up about residential solar. What surprised Horne was how unsurprised he was by the ad.
“An advertisement for a solar storage microgrid for a residential homeowner on YouTube? That would’ve just blown my mind a decade ago,” said Horne, who is the director of portfolio operations at Spring Lane Capital.
Horne told the story on stage at this year’s Microgrid Knowledge conference to illustrate how far distributed energy resources (DERs) have come in a short time.
Talk to any old-timer in the industry and they have similar incredulous tales about growth in clean energy tech. My mind goes to a 2003 conference in Washington, DC, held by the American Council on Renewable Energy. The organizers were thrilled by the ‘record’ crowd (almost 100 people!) and the fact that many of the participants were in business suits rather than Birkenstocks and not necessarily from California. Flash forward just five years to 2008 and renewable energy events in the US were attracting 12,000 people.
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“I’m not sure we collectively see the destination for the distributed energy industry. A unified moonshot for clean energy would get us rowing in the same direction. — Ben Parvey, Blue Sky Power
Clean energy history inspires optimism
So if you consider the line of history, you can’t help but be heartened. Solar has attracted $51 billion of private investment in the last decade, and prices have dropped 40%, with installations rising 24% per year, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association.
Heck, you don’t have to go far back to be gobsmacked. From 2022 to 2023 solar capacity increased 51%.
So why, then, is the mood oddly glum lately among those I talk to who are trying to advance distributed energy resources?
Product Management Executive | AI/ML & IoT Innovator | Driving Market Leadership in Renewable Energy & Cybersecurity | Expertise in Strategic Vision, Cross-Functional Team Leadership, and Data-Driven Product Development
6moElisa, this is a compelling call to action for the distributed energy sector. Setting a moonshot goal for distributed energy resources (DERs) could indeed galvanize the industry, much like state renewable portfolio standards did for renewable energy. It's encouraging to see the progress we've made, but your insights into the current challenges highlight the need for a unified vision. To advance this initiative, we need comprehensive data on DER potential, updated regulations to streamline project development, and robust financial incentives. Engaging a diverse coalition of stakeholders—including utilities, policymakers, and consumers—will be crucial. Let's collaborate and set ambitious, yet achievable targets to drive the next wave of clean energy innovation. 🌍🔋💡
Co-founder, CEO at Ecosuite | Building digital solutions in distributed energy
6mo“fostering an ecosystem where diverse elements like electric vehicles, smart streetlights, and home energy management systems speak the same language—the language of efficient energy management,” This is the magic. We can achieve this now by embracing open standards and secure digital infrastructure.
LumenCache CEO. Build all homes and offices Smart from the Start. DC power & control infrastructure for new buildings.
6moI look at it from a practical use standpoint: What do I get out of the money I spend? Instead of trying to sell you on making $5/mo from the $0.02/kWh you can earn by selling back to the grid, let's instead look at the benefits of having a modest sized home battery and smart platform using that energy wisely. Skip the grid tie expense and instead manage the energy your rooftop can capture to create a resilient and comfortable home environment.
The nice thing about DERs and microgrids is you can just do your own thing locally, coordination isn't really required. Unilateral "grid defection" will increase as IOUs continue to hike prices. https://www.volts.wtf/p/envisioning-a-more-democratic-bottom
#Nuclear #Fusion is the moon. It can be done, it will be done. When? Depends on our focus, dedication and commitment to resource assignment.