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benefits of microgrid, image of a Mesa power solutions microgrid set up.

The Lesser-known Benefits of Microgrids

March 23, 2022

Hospitals, colleges, utilities, and more are resorting to microgrids to ensure their customers and facilities stay powered. A microgrid is like your own electricity grid, run with one or more fuel sources, including natural gas, wind, solar, and more. Microgrids produce power both while connected and disconnected from the main-utility grid and offer the ability to store energy – for when you need it most. Keeping you powered through storms, states of emergencies, and brownouts is the most known and celebrated benefit of a microgrid, but there’s plenty more reward to be reaped. Discover the remaining, lesser-known benefits below. Microgrids Help You Become Carbon Compliant  Top Fortune 100 companies, including Apple, Ford, and Verizon have committed to becoming carbon neutral within the next 30-40 years. To meet demanding legislation and aggressive timelines, they have turned to nontraditional sources of energy generation offering low carbon output and resorting to greener fuels to bridge the gap. Microgrids are the perfect solution with their ability to integrate renewable energy resources. When your microgrid blueprint includes a diverse mix of renewable energy, coupled with

natural gas powercore with a wind turbine and solar panels.

Bridging the Gap to a Net Zero Carbon Footprint

March 23, 2022

Fossil fuel impacts on climate change are driving aggressive timelines for local and state governments to eliminate fossil fuels from electricity production. Oil and gas companies, automobile manufacturers, investor-owned utilities and other fossil fuel-reliant companies are pledging to reduce or eliminate their reliance on emission-generating products by 2050, 2040 and even 2035. Is a more rapid conversion to renewables and elimination of natural gas-powered energy production better for the environment? Mesa Solutions Energy Specialists are taking a more holistic look at the impact of power and finding that may not be the case. Methane Occurs Naturally Methane is a result of natural processes. No amount of solar, wind, fuel cell or geothermal transition will stop methane production. In fact, electrical generation only accounts for 27% of total greenhouse gas emissions (GHG).¹ While 50-65% of methane emissions are caused by human activity.²36% of methane emissions are from mining, natural gas and oil extraction.³ The extraction of oil isn’t going away anytime soon. Oil is used to develop and manufacture nearly all household and industrial items. Despite current, concentrated efforts to reduce

Kids walking on a staircase in a school.

How Microgrids Save Schools Money

October 14, 2021

Introduction Microgrids, while still in the early stages of adoption, are being widely utilized at a rapidly growing rate. As more resources become available and research expands on the benefits of this power solution, trends are appearing that highlight the unique situations in which microgrids are most effective. This paper will focus on one of those trends, gathering some of the widely available information demonstrating why schools and universities are in a unique place to benefit from the growing deployment of microgrids. And not only are schools well-positioned to benefit, but they can be a decisive asset to the advancement of efficient, cutting-edge, and environmentally friendly energy that microgrids bring. When it comes to why schools are a particularly good place for saving money with microgrids, it’s important to take the path of stone-cold economics: downtime costs, energy costs and environmental costs will be the main focus. This paper will first describe why schools experience these costs. Then it will explain how a microgrid could mitigate them, concluding with a short section on the options for financing a microgrid, including

Ice on a Texas sign due to a power outage.

Lessons From the Texas Power Outages

October 14, 2021

4 million Texans experience power loss as temperatures reach record lows below zero. Texas is facing major power outages while record-low temperatures sweep across the United States. Tuesday afternoon 5NBC Dallas Fort Worth reports 4 million North Texans are experiencing power loss as temperatures reach record lows below zero. Another winter storm is forecasted to hit from northwestern and north-central Texas to northern Maine (AccuWeather). ERCOT, The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, is now requiring local utilities to institute controlled power shutoffs to relieve the grid and ensure emergency services remain in operation. What has this taught us… 1. Plan for the worst Many Texas communities never planned for long outages like the one they’re experiencing, with some communities going into day 3 without power. One thing we’ve learned is that not only do you need to be proactive in planning your standby power solution but assume your next outage will be four months, not 4 days. When planning for the worst, it is important to consider how long your backup power can last… Some backup generators are only designed

Gas turbine electrical power plant with sunset.

Natural Gas Vs. Diesel Emissions: Standards & Regulations

September 9, 2021

It is becoming more common for our customers in the oil and gas industry to ask questions regarding the emissions of our products. Understanding emissions both at the state and federal levels can be challenging – Mesa understands that. Often in sales meetings we get the question: How do natural gas generator emissions compare to Diesel generators? We understand the need for clarification in this area, and this article should help you understand the issues better. When it comes to implementation, you have a partner in Mesa as we have taken the time to understand the requirements and will work with you to be compliant. An Overview of Natural Gas Generators and Diesel Generators Emissions for both natural gas generators and diesel generators are largely determined through federal and state regulation. Since the passage of the Clean Air Act (CAA), the United States has consistently sought to reduce the amount of pollutants released into the air. The various regulatory frameworks the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established to accomplish these objectives have not only drastically changed the landscape of the

Resilient Standby Power represented with light bulbs.

5 Simple Steps to Resilient Standby Power

May 27, 2021

In today’s world, resilient standby power is essential for both individuals and businesses alike. Power outages can occur due to various reasons such as natural disasters, accidents, or grid failures, and can cause significant disruptions in our daily lives. Having a reliable standby power system in place can help us mitigate the impact of such events and ensure that essential needs are met. Below, we outline five simple steps that can help you achieve resilient standby power and prepare for the unexpected. 1. Know The Difference Between “Reliability” And “Resilience” There are varying definitions for reliability and resilience that leave us confused and assuming it all means the same thing. It is important to note that while we want both to be “high,” the two are NOT synonymous. Keep them straight and simple with the following definitions. HIGH RELIABILITY means your primary source of power is almost always on and usable. HIGH RESILIENCE means your backup system is available quickly whenever you need it. In today’s dizzying array of power options, you can decide what level of reliability and resilience

Hurricane season incoming yield sign with dark skies.

Hurricane Season Prep: Resilient Microgrid

May 5, 2021

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), hurricanes are becoming more frequent and more destructive, causing longer power outages and making hurricane preparedness more pressing than ever before. The 2020 hurricane season resulted in record-breaking U.S. economic losses of up to $65 billion, as estimated by AccuWeather. Forecasts report 2021 to be even more severe, with approximately 17 named storms, eight hurricanes, and four major hurricanes expected for the year. Knowing that hurricane damage and power disruptions are coming, how will you ensure your business is ready to weather the storm and avoid power and business loss? 1. Assess Your Current Power Situation Backup generator Many businesses own backup or standby generators, assuming they will only need to use them for a short period. But how long will you need an alternative power source, and will that generator run for as long as you need it? While it varies by manufacturer, most standby units are designed to run no more than 200 hours per year for no more than one week at a time. Bear in mind, hurricane disasters

Stoichiometry graphic representing how carbon dioxide is made.

What Is Stoichiometry? A Practical Guide To Stoichiometric Engines

September 9, 2020

Typically as people start to learn more and more about engines and generator packages, we find them asking: What is a stoichiometric engine, or What is stoichiometry? At the most fundamental level, stoichiometry is a ratio of whole integers. This article will help explain how stoichiometry influences our generator engines. The Basics of Stoichiometry Before we begin to talk about engines and generator packages, it helps to explain basic stoichiometry. By definition, stoichiometry is the quantitative relationship (i.e. measurable connection) between a reactant and a product in a chemical reaction.  In chemistry, this is a general way of saying what substances are required to fulfill a reaction. A simple example of stoichiometry is: 2 1/2 cups flour + ¾ tsp baking soda + ½ tsp salt, + 2/3 cup sugar + 1 ½ tsp vanilla, + 1 egg, + 1 bag of chocolate chips = The perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe. For this recipe, or reaction, certain elements are needed to fulfill it. Like in the chocolate chip cookie example, all reactions inside engines are dependent on what they have

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