Microgrids, which are pockets of distributed energy resources that can be isolated from the utility power grid, represent an attractive option for single-owner campus environments. Campus microgrids, and especially educational institutions, are currently the leading segment of the microgrid market in terms of actual online operating capacity. Interest in microgrids is now spreading beyond the educational institution market to other campus segments, as well, including commercial, government, healthcare, industrial, and research campus markets.
For a variety of reasons, the United States represents the best overall market for microgrids in most application segments. Key factors include pockets of poor power quality scattered throughout the United States and the structure of markets for distributed energy resources. The latter has stimulated creative aggregation possibilities behind the meter at the retail level of power service. Instead of being driven by grid operators, the microgrid market in the United States is customer-driven. Microgrids can offer a quality and diversity of services that incumbent utilities have not been able to provide. These U.S. market dynamics will be instrumental in the identification of business and technology models that may be applied to campus microgrids around the world in the years to come.
This Pike Research report examines current market dynamics, as well as the longer-term market potential, for campus microgrids in the commercial, education, government, healthcare, industrial, and research campus application segments. The study analyzes the demand-side dynamics that are driving increased interest in campus microgrids, the key enabling technologies for these systems, and the industry players who are shaping this emerging market. Market forecasts for installed capacity and revenue are provided through 2017, segmented by world region and campus type.
Key Questions Addressed:
- Why are single-owner campus microgrids leading the world in terms of installed capacity?
- What are the key technology innovations that are making microgrids a commercially viable enterprise?
- Why are California and New York the two leading markets for campus environment microgrids?
- Why are policies such as renewable portfolio standards, net metering, utility revenue decoupling, and feed-in tariffs driving adoption of microgrids?
- How do microgrid control systems differ, and how do these systems apply to different scale microgrids?
- What are the pros and cons of microgrids versus virtual power plants (VPPs)?
- Why should smart grid investors pay attention to companies such as Encorp, Viridity Energy, General Microgrids, and ZBB Energy?
Who needs this report?
- Microgrid hardware and software vendors
- Smart grid technology companies
- Systems integrators and service providers
- Campus energy managers and facilities managers
- Energy project developers
- Utilities
- Government agencies
- Investor community
Table of Contents
1. Executive Summary
1.1 Introduction to Campus Microgrids
1.2 University & College Campus Microgrids in California
2. Market Issues
2.1 The Campus Environment Microgrid Landscape
2.2 Historic Anti-Islanding Bias and Protocols
2.3 American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment
2.3.1 Are California Universities & Colleges the World’s Top Campus Market?
2.1 What Is a Microgrid? Definitions and Components
2.1.1 Distributed Energy Generation
2.1.2 “Islanding” Inverters
2.1.3 Smart Switches
2.1.4 Micro Storage Options
2.1.5 Microgrid “Control” Systems
2.1.6 Other Optimization and Integration Controls
2.1.7 Virtual Power Plants versus Microgrids
2.2 The Business Case for Campus Microgrids
2.3 The Business Case for the VPP Alternative
2.4 Current Microgrid Opportunities and Incentives
2.4.1 IMBY Instead of NIMBY
2.4.2 Moving Beyond UPS Systems
2.4.3 Policy Incentives Stimulating Microgrids
2.4.3.1 California’s R&D Supporting Microgrid Markets
2.4.3.2 New York’s R&D Supporting Microgrid Markets
2.4.3.3 Policy Dynamics of the U.S. Microgrid Markets
2.5 Implementation Barriers and Issues
2.5.1 Barriers
2.5.2 UL 1741 Safety Standard
2.5.3 IEEE Islanding and Storage Standards
2.5.4 NTIS Cyber Security Standards
2.5.5 “Plug-and-Play” Offerings Extremely Limited
2.5.6 Indifferent (or even Hostile) Host Distribution Utilities
2.5.7 Physical and Cyber Security
3. Technology Issues
3.1 Microgrid Technology Overview: Back to the Future
3.2 The New Microgrid Paradigm
3.2.1 Basic Principles
3.2.2 Pros and Cons
3.2.3 Commercialization Time Horizon
3.2.4 Cost
3.2.5 Relative Component Cost Breakdown
3.3 Microgrid “Control” Systems
3.3.1 Basic Principles
3.3.2 Pros and Cons
3.3.3 Commercialization Time Horizon
3.3.4 Cost Ranges
3.4 Virtual Power Plants
3.4.1 DR-VPP Parameters
3.4.2 Cost
3.4.3 The Pros and Cons of VPPs
4. Key Industry Players
4.1 Utilities
4.1.1 Sacramento Municipal Utility District
4.1.2 Consolidated Edison
4.1.3 BC Hydro
4.2 Large Corporate Players
4.2.1 General Electric
4.2.2 Siemens
4.2.3 Intel
4.3 Microgrid Developers
4.3.1 Pareto Energy
4.3.2 General Microgrids
4.3.3 Horizon Energy Group
4.4 Microgrid Optimizers
4.4.1 Power Analytics
4.4.2 Viridity Energy
4.4.3 OSIsoft
4.5 Energy Storage Innovators
4.5.1 ZBB Energy Corporation
4.6 Smart Switches
4.6.1 S&C Electric Company
5. Market Forecasts
5.1 Growth of Key Microgrid Components
5.1.1 Growth in Solar PV
5.1.2 Combined Heat and Power
5.1.3 Fuel Cells
5.1.4 Micro Storage
5.1.5 Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles
5.2 Microgrid Forecast Methodology
5.2.1 Exponential Growth
5.2.2 Base, Average, and Aggressive Growth Scenarios
5.2.3 Global Overview
5.2.3.1 North America
5.2.3.2 Europe
5.2.3.3 Asia Pacific
5.3 U.S. College Campus Case Study: Cornell University
6. Company Directory
7. Acronym and Abbreviation List
8. Table of Contents
9. Table of Charts and Figures
10. Scope of Study, Sources and Methodology, Notes
List of Charts and Figures
- Campus Microgrid Planned Capacity by Scenario, World Markets: 2011-2017
- Campus Microgrid Annual Revenue by Scenario, World Markets: 2012-2017
- Renewable Distributed Generation Capacity Additions, World Markets: 2009
- Solar Market Demand, Aggressive Scenario, World Markets: 2008-2013
- Institutional CHP Unit Shipments by Region, World Markets: 2011-2021
- Stationary Fuel Cell Installed Capacity Comparisons, World Markets: 2011-2017
- Cumulative Capacity Energy Storage for Grid Service Applications, World Markets: 2011-2021
- Electric Vehicle Sales, United States: 2010-2015
- Planned Campus Microgrid Capacity by Segment, Average Scenario, World Markets: 2011-2017
- Campus Microgrid Annual Revenue by Scenario, World Markets: 2012-2017
- Planned Campus Microgrid Capacity by Region, Average Scenario, World Markets: 2011-2017
- California State University Microgrid Network Landscape
- PQR Hierarchy
- Hybrid Microgrid-VPP Networks for College Campuses
- UCSD Microgrid Topology
- Microgrids as Portion of U.S. CHP Market
- U.S. States with Revenue Decoupling
- States with IOU Residential Real-Time Pricing or TOU Rates
- States with Net Metering
- Conventional and Microgrid Paradigms
- Current Microgrid Project/Test Center Landscape in the United States
- Microgrid Payback Periods and Market Penetration
- Denmark’s “Cell Controller Project”
- SMUD 310 kW Campus Microgrid Topology
- Map of NYU Washington Square Microgrid (Colored Buildings)
- BC Hydro’s Smart Grid Pyramid (with Microgrid)
- DC Devices Within the Typical Home
- Stamford, Connecticut Corporate Campus Microgrid Layout
- General Microgrids’ Summary of Distributed Renewable Energy Future
- Warrick Power Plant Energy and Load Data as Depicted by the PI System
- “Perfect Power” System (with Smart Switches) at IIT’s Siegel Hall
- Load Impacts of PHEVs in Southern California
- Fisher-Pry S Curve for Microgrids
- Cornell University CHP/Microgrid Configuration
List of Tables
- Planned Campus Microgrid Capacity by Region and Segment, Base Scenario, World Markets: 2011-2017
- Planned Campus Microgrid Capacity by Segment, Base Scenario, World Markets: 2011-2017
- Planned Campus Microgrid Capacity by Region and Segment, Average Scenario, World Markets: 2011-2017
- Planned Campus Microgrid Capacity by Segment, Average Scenario, World Markets: 2011-2017
- Planned Campus Microgrid Capacity by Region and Segment, Aggressive Scenario, World Markets: 2011-2017
- Planned Campus Microgrid Capacity by Segment, Aggressive Scenario, World Markets: 2011-2017
- Annual Campus Microgrid Revenue by Region and Segment, Base Scenario, World Markets: 2012-2017
- Annual Campus Microgrid Revenue by Segment, Base Scenario, World Markets: 2012-2017
- Annual Campus Microgrid Revenue by Region and Segment, Average Scenario, World Markets: 2012-2017
- Annual Campus Microgrid Revenue by Segment, Average Scenario, World Markets: 2012-2017
- Annual Campus Microgrid Revenue by Region and Segment, Aggressive Scenario, World Markets: 2012-2017
- Annual Campus Microgrid Revenue by Segment, Aggressive Scenario, World Markets: 2012-2017
- SWOT Analysis for Campus Environment Microgrids
- VPP versus Central Station Power Plant
- SWOT Analysis for Campus Environment VPP
- Selected States Offering Net Metering Aggregation
- Price Summary for Solar PV Feed-In Tariffs Worldwide
- SMUD SWOT Analysis
- Con Edison SWOT Analysis
- BC Hydro SWOT Analysis
- GE SWOT Analysis
- Siemens SWOT Analysis
- Intel SWOT Analysis
- Pareto Energy SWOT Analysis
- General Microgrids SWOT Analysis
- Horizon Energy Group SWOT Analysis
- Power Analytics SWOT Analysis
- Viridity Energy SWOT Analysis
- OSIsoft SWOT Analysis
- ZBB Energy Corporation SWOT Analysis
- S&C Electric SWOT Analysis