
A microgrid is an electric system that can disconnect and operate independently from the utility grid, a capability known as “islanding.” Microgrids are typically powered by renewable energy or diesel generation and paired with battery energy storage. Community microgrids are specifically intended to support critical. . CMEP has roots in the 2018 state law SB 1339, which directed the CPUC to reduce barriers for commercial microgrid development by. . Resiliency has been a Hot Topic in wildfire-prone California for several years, yet community microgrids have been very slow to materialize across the state. PG&E and its fellow California. . 2019 was a wake-up call. Industry stakeholders agreed that PG&E needed improved energy safety and security measures to protect. [pdf]
If your community needs critical facility energy resilience for extreme weather, Public Safety Power Shutoff events, or other events, PG&E’s Community Microgrid Enablement Program can help.
The Community Microgrid Initiative is designed to achieve Community Microgrid demonstration projects that prove that local renewables connected to the distribution grid can provide at least 25% of the total electric energy consumed while maintaining grid reliability and power quality.
Deploying a true Community Microgrid requires utility cooperation, which has been slow to come. The Redwood Coast Airport Microgrid (RCAM), being staged in Northern California in partnership with Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), provides an example of the what can be done with utility cooperation.
For a Community Microgrid Initiative to be successful, all key community stakeholders must be aligned. These key stakeholders include property owners, residents, philanthropic funders, financiers, solution providers, utilities, policymakers, and municipalities.

The Iron Redox Flow Battery (IRFB), also known as Iron Salt Battery (ISB), stores and releases energy through the electrochemical reaction of iron salt. This type of battery belongs to the class of (RFB), which are alternative solutions to (LIB) for stationary applications. The IRFB can achieve up to 70% round trip . In comparison, other long duration storage technologies such as pumped hydro energy storage pr. [pdf]
Iron-based flow batteries designed for large-scale energy storage have been around since the 1980s, and some are now commercially available. What makes this battery different is that it stores energy in a unique liquid chemical formula that combines charged iron with a neutral-pH phosphate-based liquid electrolyte, or energy carrier.
Along with a greener life cycle, iron flow batteries have longer life: 20 years, versus the 7-to-10-year life of a heavily cycled Li-ion battery. There’s less environmental impact when you need to build fewer batteries over the long run. That, too, makes iron flow batteries the eco-friendly choice.
Iron-flow batteries proved to be the cleanest technology with the lowest global warming potential (GWP) compared to batteries using vanadium and zinc. They’re also significantly less harmful to the environment than lithium-ion batteries.
A new iron-based aqueous flow battery shows promise for grid energy storage applications. A commonplace chemical used in water treatment facilities has been repurposed for large-scale energy storage in a new battery design by researchers at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
The ESS iron flow battery uses the same electrolyte on both positive and negative sides. And the proton pump maintains the state of charge and battery health. Join Eric Dresselhuys, CEO and Vince Canino, COO of ESS Inc. as they take you on a tour of the ESS factory in Wilsonville, Oregon.
The larger the electrolyte supply tank, the more energy the flow battery can store. Flow batteries can serve as backup generators for the electric grid. Flow batteries are one of the key pillars of a decarbonization strategy to store energy from renewable energy resources.
We are deeply committed to excellence in all our endeavors.
Since we maintain control over our products, our customers can be assured of nothing but the best quality at all times.