Installing Solar to Combat National Security Risks in the Power Grid

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.mtu.edu/news/stories/2017/may/installing-solar-combat-national-security-risks-power-grid.html

[font face=Serif][font size=5]Installing Solar to Combat National Security Risks in the Power Grid[/font]

By Allison Mills | Published 8:00 AM, May 8, 2017

[font size=4]Distributed microgrid tech can secure the electrical grids at military bases to reduce the impact of cyberattacks, physical attacks from terrorists and natural disasters.[/font]

[font size=3]Vulnerabilities in the power grid are one of the most prevalent national security threats. The technical community has called for building up the resiliency of the grid using distributed energy and microgrids for stabilization. Power production from multiple sources increases the difficulty of triggering cascading blackouts, and following an attack or natural disaster, microgrids can provide localized energy security.

In a new paper published in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews (DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2017.04.094), an interdisciplinary team of engineering and energy policy experts from Michigan Technological University says the first step is to outfit military infrastructure with solar photovoltaic (PV)-powered microgrid systems. Their results found that the military needs 17 gigawatts of PV to fortify domestic bases—the systems are technically feasible, within current contractors’ skill sets and economically favorable.

Additionally, the paper's lead author, Emily Prehoda, who is finishing her PhD in energy policy at Michigan Tech, says boosting bases' energy independence supports local communities.

"I come from a military-oriented family, so for me the military is important to bridge the technical capacities and policies to trickle down to other critical infrastructure and services," Prehoda says. "This is such a huge issue, not only for the military but for other organizations, and it hits from all different sides, from the technical, economic and social—and it leads back to the idea of security."

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2017.04.094

[NNadir]

1. That's amusing, if nothing else. The solar industry can't manage the huge security risk of...

...climate change, now there's a Ph.D. candidate announcing that it can make military bases "secure."

At night? When it's raining? During a tornado? A hurricane?

The solar industry has never, not once, accomplished what it's proponents have been advertising for more than half a century. None of this has stopped these proponents from adding even bigger whoppers to their portfolio of wishful thinking advertisements and soothsaying.

Offering the solar miracle as a solution to "anything" is in a de facto sense, offering nothing at all.

[kristopher]

2. You should avoid commenting on topics that are beyond your ken

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews
Volume 78, October 2017, Pages 167–175

U.S. strategic solar photovoltaic-powered microgrid deployment for enhanced national security

Emily W. Prehodaa, , Chelsea Schellya, , Joshua M. Pearceb, c, ,

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2017.04.094

Abstract
The U.S. electrical grid, the largest and most complex man-made system in the world, is highly vulnerable to three types of external threats: 1) natural disasters, 2) intentional physical attacks, and 3) cyber-attacks. The technical community has recommended hardening the grid to make it more resilient to attack by using distributed generation and microgrids. Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems are an ideal distributed generation technology to provide power for such microgrids. However, both the deployment velocity and the policy of how to implement such technical solutions have been given far less attention than would be normally considered adequate for a national security risk. To address this threat, this paper reviews the technical and economic viability of utilizing defense contracting for the beginning of a national transition to distributed generation in the U.S. First, the technical scale of electrical demand and the solar PV system necessary is analyzed in detail to meet the first level of strategic importance: the U.S. military. The results found that about 17 GW of PV would be needed to fortify the U.S. military domestically. The current domestic geographic deployment of microgrid installations in the critical U.S. defense infrastructure were reviewed and compared to historical grid failures and existing and planned PV installations to mitigate that risk. The results showed a minimal number of military bases have introduced solar PV systems, leaving large parts of the Department of Defense electrical infrastructure vulnerable to attack. To rectify this situation, the technical skills of the top 20 U.S. defense contractors is reviewed and analyzed for a potential contracting transition to grid fortification. Overall the results indicate that a fortified U.S. military grid made up of PV-powered microgrids is technically feasible, within current contractors skill sets and economically viable. Policy recommendations are made to accelerate U.S. military grid fortification.

[ccarrick]

5. you're kinda dumb

it's called distributed generation - providing power close to where the load is.

but, yes, let's turn our back on the solar + storage revolution that we're on the cusp of reaching, in favor of your outdated, unprofitable nukes.

hey - i hear there are job openings in Westinghouse's nuclear division - oh wait, they're collapsing.

dummy

[hunter]

3. So which is it? Do we expand the grid and make it smart for massive solar and wind projects...

... or do we shrink it?

I'm so confused.

[kristopher]

4. "massive solar and wind projects" is like saying "massive farm fields".

In fact, the solar, wind and farming are, functionally, largely symbiotic for farmers.

I'll acknowledge your confusion since your posts over the years confirm that - in spite of your pro forma claims to the contrary- your entire schtick is designed to promote the interests of centralized generation by nuclear power. Anyone that embraces that technology is definitely confused about what works.

Poor little feller...

[OKIsItJustMe]

6. We modularize it

These may help you: https://www.energy.gov/articles/how-microgrids-work
https://building-microgrid.lbl.gov/about-microgrids