From MICHIGAN TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY and the “what happens if they bomb you at night?” department comes this freakishly stupid study that suggests we’ll have better energy security at our military installations by installing solar systems. While microgrids “can” be more reliable that individual grid tied systems, they still don’t generate power when you need it most during a grid induced power outage – at night.
Installing solar to combat national security risks in the power grid
In a new paper published in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 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.”
Independent Energy
The US military already has a renewable energy plan in place: 25 percent of energy production from renewable sources by 2025, but only 27 of the more than 400 domestic military sites either have fortified PV microgrids running now or have plans to do so, which makes the majority vulnerable to long-term power disruptions. Co-author Joshua Pearce says this is a great start but more is needed as most military backup systems rely on generators, which are also vulnerable to fuel supply disruption.
“The US military is extremely dependent on electricity now; it’s not people fighting with bayonets,” says Pearce, a dual-appointed professor of electrical and computer engineering as well as materials science and engineering. “If we put the money into PV-powered microgrids, it would be making us objectively more secure and we get a return on our investment as after the initial investment in PV the military would enjoy free solar electricity for the next 25 years.”
The main historical threats to the electrical grid come from natural disasters like tornados, hurricanes and winter storms, which cost between $18 and $33 billion every year in power outages and US infrastructure damage. The threats that keep grid security experts up at night are deliberate attacks on the grid. These can either be physical attacks–like the 2013 sniper attack on a Silicon Valley substation, which cost $100 million and lasted 27 days –or computer hacking that causes cascading disruptions like in the Ukraine blackouts in 2016. In 2012, the US Department of Defense reported about 200 cyber incidents across critical infrastructure systems and nearly half targeted the electrical grid.
During any event, energy generation and distribution unhitch like a lost caboose on a runaway train. Microgrids provide flexibility and enable generation to persist even if distribution fails, maintaining performance for critical infrastructure while decreasing the chance of cascading failures. Solar, because of its decreasing costs and geographically distributed access to long-term solar “fuel”, makes the most sense for powering microgrids.
PV-Powered Microgrids
To quantify the technical impacts of distributed energy systems, the team looked at domestic military bases and their current electric loads. Then they reviewed where the military’s existing and planned PV-powered microgrids lined up with past grid failures as well as every state’s potential for solar power.
The team found that it would take 2,140 gigawatts to supply all critical infrastructure in the US with 100 percent solar power and a hybrid microgrid system with storage provide protection against grid failure. The military alone would need 17 gigawatts. To put that in perspective, the US has installed a total capacity of 22.7 gigawatts of solar to date.
The team then looked at the technical and economic feasibility of employing the top 20 contractors already working with the US Department of Defense to install more microgrids and performed a detailed case study of three companies, Lockheed Martin, Bechtel and General Electric, to gauge the extent of the technical skills and resources available.
Given the results, the challenge to meet grid resiliency with microgrid deployment is feasible because the resources to install these systems already exist domestically.
Renewable Energy Policy
Prehoda also worked with her PhD adviser Chelsea Schelly, an associate professor of sociology at Michigan Tech, to assess policy needs. Despite the substantial national security risk, policy that addresses electrical grid failures has been minimal. Schelly explains that support for PV makes sense in terms of national security.
“There is some policy recognition that energy can be a security priority,” Schelly says, adding that while the US does not have a national renewable energy policy, the military does, and it has the capacity for implementation through existing contractors. “If we recognize that this capacity already exists, then we can start thinking about PV as a security measure by integrating microgrids–and then creating local resilience based on military technologies.”
In the paper, the team examined how securing top-priority military microgrids could trickle down into different levels of critical infrastructure. Technology designed and implemented at military bases could lead to similar microgrids for other government facilities, critical infrastructure like hospitals, industry and commercial systems as well as homes and neighborhoods.
“For me, starting with the military is important for national security and grid vulnerabilities,” Prehoda says. “But it also jumpstarts technology.”
The first step is recognizing what it takes to outfit domestic military bases–and eventually military sites abroad–to combat power grid failure from natural disasters and terrorist attacks.
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The full paper is available free and open access at: https://www.academia.edu/32808527/U.S._strategic_solar_photovoltaic-powered_microgrid_deployment_for_enhanced_national_security
First, the military already has plenty of backup in the form of diesel generators at most military installations…which can run 24/7, not just when the sun shines. This looks like a sales pitch for solar to me.
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.
Second, I generally don’t trust organizations that require me to give them my contact list in order to read the paper: (my email address is obscured on purpose)
Third, a fuel-cell system would be a far better approach, as they run 24/7 and the military has already deployed several:
On July 19, 2011, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced that, as part of an interagency partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to strengthen American energy security and develop new clean energy technologies, DOE and DOD will collaborate on a project to install and operate 18 fuel cell backup power systems at eight defense installations across the country. The Departments will test how the fuel cells perform in real world operations, identify any improvements manufacturers could make to enhance the value proposition, and highlight the benefits of fuel cells for emergency backup power applications.
Link: https://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2014/03/f10/doe_dod_backup_power_fc.pdf
I was in the navy for 10 years supervising the operation of the nuclear reactors. Every navy ship has a ‘micro grid’. Ships are vulnerable to all manner of things. Human error, mechanical failures, weather.
The grid and stationary power plants are subject to the same risks. Lots of efforts goes into improving reliability. There is a whole systematic approach.
Apparently not something they teach in Michigan if they suggest solar would improve grid reliability.
Vulnerable to attacks is a different matter. For example, with ‘micro grid’ in our motor home I have a plan for an emp. In event of nuclear war, bend over and kiss your ass goodbye.
What does “come from a military oriented family mean”?
I understand the term “army brat”.
I understand the concept, I married a sailor.
I understand the service preference family traits, e.g. My family is 100% army! or 100% Navy or 110% outstanding Marines!.
But, what in blazes is “military oriented”?
Sheltered, very naïve Emily Prehoda strenuously avoids genuine details in her “solar sales” marketing ploys.
for example;
How many acres of solar array is necessary?
Just how does the Navy or Army develop sufficient power under all weather and hemispheric conditions to run their energy gulping equipment?
Should the U.S. Air Force put several dozen acres of solar cells on early warning planes, to supply the energy drain of radar?
Nor is any mention made of this paper:
“Land-Use Requirements for Solar Power Plants in the United States”
Which happens to be a very confirmation biased research paper working almost as hard as Emily does, in hiding actual acreages of solar arrays needed for even very basic functions.
Another junk research fail!
Not that there is any future for Doctors of Energy Policy.
It does bring up the question(s); when is a Doctor, not really a Doctor?
I imagine that the people working on the various classified programs created to address these issues will have a chuckle over this study.
“Second, I generally don’t trust organizations that require me to give them my contact list in order to read the paper: …”
Google has been engaged in this kind of activities for a number of years now. (They basically own all your information in your Android phone/pad.) With Android 7.x they are trying to map different of networks geographically for sure and who’s on it, especially WiFi …
Apple? They are not much better …
Miss Pehoda and her sociologist adviser study and teach in Michigan.
They seem to not venture out much; if they did, they would know that during the winter months solar panel practically stop working (about 2% of annnual yield per month from Nov to Feb).
Michigan: They’ll scratch all those panels when removing the snow.
Annie get your gun. Mackthaberin Merkel. Gina McCarthy. Calamity Jane. Barbara Hendricks https://www.google.at/search?client=ms-android-samsung&ei=jXMRWcPMGYHC6QT55bCgBg&q=Magda+Goering&oq=Magda+Goering&gs_l=mobile-gws-serp.
Anyone else?
Yes. https://www.google.at/search?client=ms-android-samsung&ei=tXMRWaqgDuO56ASZ9KawDg&q=achilles%27+mother&oq=Achilles%27+&gs_l=mobile-gws-serp.
Rather far off topic there, krazifix?
Your comments are so far off topic, I am reminded of a serial pest at another blog, cork dork.
I don’t see it mentioned, but in February, ie. early in the Trump admin, the army set a goal of all installations being able to run for 2 weeks without local utility power or water.
https://www.army.mil/article/184993/installations_to_be_energy_independent_at_least_14_days
This effort I’m sure is part of that.
The US military has already installed both solar and microgrids widely across its US bases and saved considerable sums in the process…
http://solarindustrymag.com/u-s-army-base-recruits-texas-solar-wind-power
Solar is also a useful supplement for field operations… you don’t have to ship in or protect convoys of diesel fuel. And the modern battlefield is full of electronic devices…
Griff likes to post press releases from the solar industry that defies credibility.
We all know stupid people like Griff. They will get something for free that that they do not need. Free except for shipping and handling.
I needed (wanted) a new battery for my laptop. I did a GOOGLE search. The OEM was $60. Amazon had several. One was $15 +$5 s&h. I selected the $14.95 with free shipping.
Did I save $45? No I spent $15. Claiming you saved money because you did not make a stupid choice is what?
The wind and solar industry along with government free loaders make claims about ‘saving money’ based on the retail price of power from the grid. This ignores the real value of the power which is the wholesale cost of power sold to the grid.
This also ignores the capital cost that the government paid for the wind and solar projects. While the amount is estimated, the actual cost of the projects is not mentiones.
The wind and solar industry is like buying a car from a dealer. You have to assume you are dealing with a pack of liars. Before going to the dealer, I go to the library and make a few copies from consumer reports. I go to the dealer carrying a brown file folder. I ask how much is the car I want. In California, it appears to be a difficult question to answer. In small city Virgina, I got an answer first try and bought a car on my lunch break.
Kit, has or has not the US military actually installed wind and solar power, and saved money?
You google it this time!
“Griff May 10, 2017 at 11:19 am
You google it this time!”
Google, the source of truth.
/sarc off
Speaking from my limited knowledge of military tactics, defense, etc., my understanding is speed in the single most important factor (or one of the most important factors ) in both offense and defense, especially with aircraft and naval forces. So why would you bio fuels to power the aircraft or naval forces which pack significantly less power and significant loss of speed.
Comments here about a military base running out of fuel are humorous!
I have not been involved with fixed bases before, but with mobile systems, the design pec would include how many days you need to fight for ie ‘battle days’. This then gives you the number of spares, fuel, food etc to keep the military affect functional for the agreed time.
I would imagine fixed base planning would be similar: how long does your base have provide its functionality for, which gives you the numbers of fuel etc – fallback systems etc etc.
It is all thought through before it hits the fan and smoothly cranks up as necessary (well, in the planner’s mind anyway…..).
Griff: Solar on a battlefield?
(Yes, a big flashing reflector right above the trenches. Saying “Shoot here! Hit your target. Right here!”
Command, control, power, rest area (troops), training area, repair area, storage area, sentries, entry or flight point? What do you want to get blown up?
Oh? Area? How many miles of extra perimeter do the troops need to defend with their lives and their muscle digging ditches, barbed wire, sandbags, and trenches and bunkers to encapsulate enough area to put up those big target saying “Shoot here!”
Nonsense. Pure propaganda. Can’t move them. Can’t hide them. Can get power but for 6 hours a day – IF the skies are clear – which is when the enemy can find the target under the solar cells and drop mortar, rocket, RPG, and cannon fire on the target.
Yep!
http://www.guns.com/2017/05/09/report-army-and-marine-corps-trying-to-reduce-equipment-load/
Other efforts to reduce weight include getting rid of heavy batteries. The Army is looking at ways to use more solar power, and to harvest and store energy from soldier movements. They’re also hoping developments in technology can reduce battery weight by up to 20 percent.