Microgrids Sustain Power During Natural Disasters

(TNS) -- As the deadly Butte fire ravaged the foothills of Amador and Calaveras counties last month, rooms at the Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort were transformed from guest rooms to cot-filled dormitories to accommodate hundreds of people evacuated from nearby communities. The fire scorched 71,000 acres, felling scores of power lines in its path.

Many homes and businesses went dark as firefighters battled to get the flames under control. But the lights stayed on and power kept flowing at the rancheria’s hotel and casino because of a specialized network of generators and electrical equipment that gave the rancheria temporary energy independence from the regional power grid operated by Pacific Gas and Electric... Essentially, these are small-scale energy distribution networks that allow owners to disconnect from the regional power grid and generate their own electricity...

The Butte fire underscored the role microgrids can play in allowing tribal operations to be safe havens during natural disasters, said Rich Hoffman, chief executive officer of Jackson Rancheria. “It might be worthwhile for the Red Cross and tribes nationally to look into whether this can be duplicated around the country,” Hoffman said.

Microgrids can be powered by generators, batteries or renewable energy sources such as solar panels. Generally, they run in concert with the broader grid run by utilities. But in times of crisis, a flick of the switch allows a microgrid to operate as a sort of island, independent from the broader network. Often, microgrids are switched on at the utility’s request, when heat waves or other emergencies are stressing the distribution system.

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