POWERGRID International – Our Future is Dependent on Building Energy Resilience

Climate change continues to be one of the largest threats impacting the future of our planet, and it requires a deeper commitment to energy resilience to protect against the effect of its rapid acceleration. Within the past year alone, we have witnessed multiple catastrophic weather events triggered by climate change that in the past would be deemed “once in a lifetime.” From historic heat waves and wildfires engulfing the West Coast, to deadly winter storms across the South, to hurricanes and tornadoes hitting the East Coast, it is evident that an increased cadence of catastrophic events is the new normal, and we must find new approaches to withstand their effects.

While climate change can impact every aspect of our power grids – including energy demand, generation, transmission and distribution – new strategies for energy resilience can play an integral role in combating and offsetting its negative effects. The untapped potential for resilient and reliable power continues to grow as the capabilities of innovative technologies like microgrids advance. Yet, deploying and financing microgrids continues to be challenging in the United States. Rules around planning, operations, safety, interconnection, ownership and market participation are complex, and they are gradually being updated to integrate new approaches which ensure resiliency.

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