August 30, 2011 - Microgrids, which are pockets
of distributed energy resources that can be isolated from the
utility power grid, represent an attractive option for single-owner
campus environments.
Campus microgrids, and especially educational institutions, are
currently the leading segment of the microgrid market in terms of
actual online operating capacity.
Interest in microgrids is now spreading beyond the educational
institution market to other campus segments, as well, including
commercial, government, healthcare, industrial, and research campus
markets.
A new report from Pike Researchforecasts that total
installed generation capacity for campus microgrids will increase
by 164% between 2011 and 2017, rising from 620 megawatts (MW) to
1.6 gigawatts (GW). By the end of the forecast period in 2017, the
cleantech market intelligence firm anticipates that the campus
microgrid market will reach $777 million in annual revenue.
"Microgrids offer a compelling opportunity for facilities
managers in single-owner campuses to take more direct control of
their electricity supply," says senior analyst Peter Asmus.
"Energy and facilities managers for educational institutions,
corporate campuses, medical campuses, and other campuses are
increasingly turning to distributed energy generation, both from
renewable and fossil fuel sources, using a broad array of microgrid
configurations."
Asmus adds that, for a variety of reasons, the United States
represents the best overall market for microgrids in most
application segments. Key factors include pockets of poor power
quality scattered throughout the U.S. and the structure of markets
for distributed energy resources.
The latter, says Asmus, has stimulated creative aggregation
possibilities behind the meter at the retail level of power
service. Instead of being driven by grid operators, the microgrid
market in the U.S. is customer-driven. Pike Research's analysis
concludes that these U.S. market dynamics will be instrumental in
the identification of business and technology models that may be
applied to campus microgrids around the world in years to come.
Pike Research's report, "Microgrids for Campus
Environments", examines current market dynamics, as well
as the longer-term market potential, for campus microgrids in the
commercial, education, government, healthcare, industrial and
research campus application segments.
The study analyzes the demand-side dynamics that are driving
increased interest in campus microgrids, the key enabling
technologies for these systems, and the industry players who are
shaping this emerging market.
Market forecasts for installed capacity and revenue are provided
through 2017, segmented by world region and campus type. An
Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on
the firm's website.
Pike Research is a market research and consulting firm that
provides in-depth analysis of global clean technology
markets. For more information, visit www.pikeresearch.com