Page 16 - NBIZ Magazine April 2021

continue to lead to a greater number minimal economic value throughout
of power disruptions. That being the the life of the investment. COMPREHENSIVE GENERATOR SALES, RENTALS,
case, commercial properties must start A microgrid can be designed and
taking action to lessen their exposure operated to be grid flexible. This means REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE SOLUTIONS for your facility.
to these disruptions. that the system can ramp up and down
On-site generation is a key resource based on electricity costs, while taking
that should be considered. Typically, advantage of low and high electric grid
this entails installing a diesel or prices. The system can generate more
natural gas generator. These systems power when grid prices are high, pro- Caterpillar
are cranked on during a brief outage. viding more power to the site or selling
If properly maintained and fueled, they power to the grid. It can ramp down Multiquip
Figure 3: Weather-related power outages
since 2000 can work fine. Further, short-term when grid prices are low, allowing the
economics would indicate this is the site to buy more power directly from Cummins
most appropriate approach. However, the grid.
This will harm all electricity customers as companies take a more long-term, This flexibility provides significant
and could force businesses to relocate life-cycle approach to costs, it is becom- economic benefits to the end-user.
7
elsewhere, costing the state billions of ing clear that other power alternatives More importantly, the system is
dollars in lost revenue and jobs. may be more viable. Considering a designed for not only economic benefit,
microgrid, which could be made up of but also in a manner that improves site
The Texas Electricity Market a variety of generation resources, such resilience. The microgrid, at minimum,
The Electric Reliability Council of as solar, battery storage, natural gas is designed to cover critical loads at An Offi cial
Texas (ERCOT) manages the electric generators, and/or combined heat and the building, island from the grid, and
grid that serves 90% of Texas residents, power (CHP) may be more appropriate have black start capability.
under policies set by the Legislature for resilience and economic sustain-
and Governor and implemented by the ability of a property. The microgrid can Financing Resilience and Energy Dealer Service Center
Public Utility Commission of Texas be designed and operated optimally Efficiency
(Figure 4). Like most of Texas’s eco- to ensure appropriate selection and Investing in power resilience and
nomic policy for the last three decades, sizing of each generation asset in a way efficiency projects can help harden
ERCOT’s energy markets are designed that reduces overall investment costs facilities and save money, but for many
to yield the lowest cost energy with by complementing the services each owners, the upfront cost of a project,
minimal regulatory intervention or can provide. A microgrid system would combined with electricity rates, can
customer protection. also operate 24/7, 365 days a year to make it challenging for projects to MTU
Weatherizing equipment to pro- provide services to both the building meet internal hurdle rates using con-
tect against extreme weather events and the grid. In contrast, a generator ventional financing. Once a business Kohler
costs money. In intensely competitive sits idle until called upon, providing owner decides to incorporate on-site
markets like ERCOT, no competitor Dealer Generac
spends extra money unless they must.
Preparations to ensure continued op-
eration through extreme weather are
insurance that many Texas generators
and gas producers chose not to spend Making sure you are never without power.
money on these measures because they
were never required to do so.
Because Texas is generally more a GenSolutions.
warm than a cold state, electric gener-
ators install systems that operate most
efficiently in hot summers. The system
is not built to be resilient; it is built to
be reliable during hot summer months
under normal operating conditions, At GenSolutions we deliver 24/7 generator services. Same-day rentals are available
not through the more frequent storms for your convenience. Our comprehensive repair solutions include: preventative
we are coming to expect with climate
change (Figure 1). maintenance programs, annual maintenance, quarterly inspections, load testing,

generator repair, engine overhaul, fire pump repair and rebuild, fuel polishing, diesel
On-site Resilience with Microgrids
and Energy Efficiency refueling, equipment pick-up and delivery of DOT and Non-DOT loads.
Without a focus on resilience,
extreme weather events will likely Figure 4: Understanding Texas' Deregulated Market and the ERCOT Grid Patrick Makinney
281-643-7000 offi ce l 936-443-4378 direct l pmakinney@gensolutionsllc.com GenSolutions
16 NBIZ ■ April 2021