Optimal Energy Management in Multi Energy Microgrid with Combined Heat and Power System and Demand Side Response Integration

Renewable energy sources are gaining prominence due to their sustainability, low environmental footprint, and potential to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. However, their intermittent and unpredictable nature presents significant challenges for reliable energy supply. A promising solution lies in integrating multiple energy carriers, such as electricity and gas, to enhance system resilience, efficiency, and sustainability. This study presents a Multi-Energy Microgrid (MEMG) architecture featuring a DC electricity bus and a heat bus. The DC bus integrates photovoltaic (PV) panels, batteries, and a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) unit, while the heat bus connects to the gas supply network through boilers, …

Resilient by Design

Electric utilities face mounting challenges from electrification, climate resilience, and affordability concerns. U.S. investor-owned utilities’ capital expenditures have increased from $136.6 billion in 2021 to $167.8 billion, projected for 2023, with 36% of those capital expenditures allocated towards adaptation, hardening, and resilience, on average. Despite this, storm-related outages still cost the U.S. $64.8 billion annually, and a projected $500 billion gap remains in capital to fully harden generation, transmission, and distribution systems against climate threats through 2050.

Utilities are evolving their distribution system planning (DSP) processes to include resilience, decarbonization, and affordability due to extreme weather threats to the grid. …

Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2024

Renewables continue to prove themselves as the most cost-competitive source of new electricity generation. On an LCOE basis, 91% of newly commissioned utility-scale renewable capacity delivered power at a lower cost than the cheapest new fossil fuel-based alternative. In 2024, renewables helped avoid USD 467 billion in fossil fuel costs, reinforcing their role in enhancing energy security, economic resilience, and long-term affordability.…

Characteristics and Risks of Emerging Large Loads

Electricity is a key component of the fabric of modern society and the Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) Enterprise serves to strengthen that fabric. The vision for the ERO Enterprise, which is comprised of NERC and the six Regional Entities, is a highly reliable, resilient, and secure North American bulk power system (BPS). Our mission is to assure the effective and efficient reduction of risks to the reliability and security of the grid.…

Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2024

Total installed costs for renewable power decreased by more than 10% for all technologies between 2023 and 2024, except for offshore wind, where they remained relatively stable, and bioenergy, where they increased by 16%. Nevertheless, the combination of capacity factors, market share, and financing costs led to a slight increase in the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) for some technologies: solar PV by 0.6%, onshore wind by 3%, offshore wind by 4%, and bioenergy by 13%. Meanwhile, costs declined for CSP (-46%), geothermal (-16%), and hydropower (-2%).

Renewables continue to prove themselves as the most cost-competitive source of new electricity …

Environmental Justice and CCS Infrastructure: Overlaps and Oversights at the National and State Levels Open Access

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is critical in meeting U.S. decarbonization goals. Recently, tax incentives and federal grants have spurred interest in CCS resulting in dozens of projects in various stages of development across the country. The federal government has created metrics to measure which communities have been historically disadvantaged or overburdened by pollution and has made efforts to not unnecessarily harm these communities as CCS is deployed at scale.…

Building Markets to Scale Carbon Management Solutions

As global energy demand grows and the urgency of climate action intensifies, Carbon Management Solutions (CMS) are increasingly recognized as essential tools for helping balance economic resilience, energy security, and emissions reduction. The International Energy Forum’s latest report, Building Markets to Scale Carbon Management Solutions, explores how comprehensive policy frameworks and commercial market development can unlock the full potential of CMS, from Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) to clean hydrogen.…

Underground Gas Storage in Natural Gas Infrastructure: East Coast Insights

The East Coast has a larger total number of facilities than the Gulf Coast, but only about
half the amount of working gas capacity due to the greater number of salt dome
caverns found in the Gulf. Like the Gulf Coast, UGS in the East Coast can support the
storage of low-carbon fuels including hydrogen and may provide a crucial long-term
storage solution for renewable energy produced in the region from intermittent sources
like wind. This region has challenges to expanding the role of UGS in the future,
including regulatory hurdles, barriers to infrastructure expansions, and the proximity of
UGS …

2025 Manufacturing Roadmap

This report details how renewing investments in onshoring domestic manufacturing for critical materials and infrastructure support progress in economic security, energy transition goals, and resilience.…

Electrification with Renewables: Enhancing Healthcare Delivery in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe’s healthcare system faces significant challenges due to unreliable energy access, with 32.5% of its 1 848 healthcare facilities lacking consistent electricity. This report explores the transformative potential of decentralised renewable energy (DRE) systems in addressing these gaps, ensuring uninterrupted health services, particularly in remote and underserved areas. It highlights how frequent power outages and solar system malfunctions disrupt critical services such as emergency care, vaccine storage and maternal health support, emphasising the urgent need for sustainable energy solutions to improve healthcare delivery and population well-being.

The report provides a comprehensive roadmap for powering Zimbabwe’s healthcare facilities with reliable and …