You might have heard of microgrids. But if you’re a small commercial business with load less than 1MW, what you actually need is a nanogrid.
Nanogrids are the implementation of distributed energy resources at a smaller scale than traditional microgrids. Nanogrids escape the limitations and burdens of utility companies and the grid. They deliver energy savings as the prime power source and continue operating through natural disasters or service disruptions, empowering businesses to meet customer expectations and demand.
Decentralized Protection
In 2021, global energy demand surged to record levels. The 6% rise in demand, equivalent to 1,500 terawatt hours, was the largest ever[1]. This increased demand strains the current grid system’s capacity. Because the currently centralized grid system is highly interconnected, failures resulting from a surge in demand and lack of supply ripple out and affect customers unexpectedly and more frequently than ever.
Decentralized energy (sometimes referred to as distributed energy resources or DERs) protects a business’s energy by displacing demand from the grid and generating supply onsite.
In the past, cost-effective distributed energy resources for smaller buildings were a challenge, and only larger buildings were able to implement microgrids. With advances in energy technology, including GRIDIRON’s PowerPlant H24 micro-CHP unit, smaller commercial buildings can leverage DERs and have their own nanogrids.
Nanogrids built with GRIDIRON’s PowerPlant H24 place your energy onsite, where you can monitor, control, and protect it.
Generating Cost Savings
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the price index for wholesale electricity doubled from 2020 to 2021 and was up 64% from the average index from 2016-2020. Businesses see this in their rising energy costs. As a continuous power resource, a nanogrid simultaneously produces energy and energy cost savings. Every kWh produces energy at a significant discount compared to the rate charged on your utility bill. For example, a nanogrid that uses GRIDIRON’s PowerPlant H24 generates energy at $.04/kWh, while the national average energy cost is $.11/kWh.
The more you use your nanogrid, the more you save. The cost of implementing a nanogrid on-site will be recouped in full, while you continue to save on your energy bill.
Integrating Energy Resources
Like microgrids, nanogrids integrate with various energy resources, including renewable energy technology such as solar, battery energy storage, and building energy systems.
Nanogrids can seamlessly integrate with additional energy technologies that fit the needs of your business. It can integrate with the grid if you choose (although it is not required), further opening up the possibilities for your energy.
Because it serves as a platform to enable other clean energy resources, nanogrids are a major step towards a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable energy future. In order to reach emission reduction goals set by global policy groups in accordance with the Paris Agreement, emissions need to be reduced by 45% by 2030.[2] However, the emissions from power generation rose 7% in 2021 due to the surge in energy demand. Nanogrids are a realistic solution for businesses to meet energy demand while also decreasing emissions and increasing sustainability.
Building Your Own Nanogrid
Because nanogrid applications are smaller than typical microgrid applications, modular systems like GRIDIRON’s PowerPlant H24 are an easily installable solution for building your own nanogrid. This is a mindset shift for everyone who has heard about microgrids powering small communities or college campuses. Nanogrids are for the “everyday” application. Nanogrids are neither large, multi-faceted setups nor are they expensive beyond reach. They are onsite energy, for anyone.
Nanogrids are stable, reliable energy resources that provide continuous power support when and where you need it, including when outages occur. Nanogrids make decentralized energy accessible for everyone. As such, they are the perfect fit for any business looking to take control of their energy future.
[1] https://www.iea.org/news/surging-electricity-demand-is-putting-power-systems-under-strain-around-the-world
[2] https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/net-zero-coalition#:~:text=To%20keep%20global%20warming%20to,reach%20net%20zero%20by%202050.
