Knowledge Center
This page is a repository for technical resources related to wind-diesel hybrid systems, large islanded grids, and offshore wind, as well as other energy solutions for islanded grids. The Knowledge Center includes recordings of the IGRC’s quarterly webinar series and other content produced by the IGRC and our partners.
Title Year Author PDF Knowledge Categories Searchable Keywords Block Island Power Company – Planning for Uncertainty 2018 Tracy Fredericks, James Stockman, Block Island Power Company Case Study Block Island, offshore wind Monhegan Island Plantation Power District Combined Heat and Power Project 2018 Chris Smith, Operations Manager, Monhegan Case Study Maine, Capstone, Microturbine Unalakleet Alaska Wind-Diesel System Optimization Study 2018 Reese Huhta, General Manager, Unalakleet Valley Electric Cooperative Wind-Diesel Hybrid, Case Study Unalakleet, Alaska, optimization Kodiak, Alaska Case Profile 2018 Darron Scott, CEO, Kodiak Electric Wind-Diesel Hybrid, Large Islanded Grids, Energy Storage Kodiak, flywheel, hybrid Alaska Wind Power Project Size and Cost 2017 Alaska Center for Energy and Power Wind-Diesel Hybrid Alaska Energy Storage Case Study 2017 Alaska Center for Energy and Power Wind-Diesel Hybrid, Energy Storage Alaska Cost Estimates for Integrating Renewables 2017 Alaska Center for Energy and Power Wind-Diesel Hybrid, Large Islanded Grids Alaska Alaska Case Study Organic Rankine Cycle 2017 Alaska Center for Energy and Power Wind-Diesel Hybrid organic rankine cycle Alaska Solar PV Technology in Remote Microgrids 2017 Alaska Center for Energy and Power Wind-Diesel Hybrid solar 2017 Energy Battery Storage Study 2017 DNL GV General, Energy Storage Energy Storage, Study IRENA: Innovation outlook on Renewable Mini Grids 2016 IRENA Wind-Diesel Hybrid Microgrid New England Island Microgrids 2017 Suzanne MacDonald General, Wind-Diesel Hybrid Microgrid Renewable Microgrid Town: Gosnold, MA 2017 Paul Elias Wind-Diesel Hybrid renewable, solar, microgrid, PV, storage, Massachusetts, Cuttyhunk, Naushon Star Island Solar Electric System 2017 Dick Case Wind-Diesel Hybrid solar, storage, Star Island, New Hampshire, microgrid, hybrid Monhegan Plantation Power District Combined Heat and Power Hybrid Project 2017 Chris Smith Wind-Diesel Hybrid diesel, solar, hybrid, microturbine, cogen, CHP, combined heat and power Alaska Community Microgrids 2017 Chris Rose Wind-Diesel Hybrid microgrid, alaska, wind, diesel, hybrid, storage Island Communities and Customer Discovery 2015 Allexe Law General customer, island, community, marketing, acquisition, market, storage, generation, microgrid, best practices, customer discovery, people, engagement, Will communities “open-up” to offshore wind? Lessons learned from New England islands in the United States 2017 Sarah C. Klain, Terre Satterfield, Suzanne MacDonald, Nicholas Battista, Kai M.A. Chan Offshore Wind Deliberative learning, Community benefits, Offshore wind farms, Social acceptance of renewable energy Renewable Energy Solutions, Island Communities 2014 Chris Sauer General Renewable Energy Solutions Islands Presentation: Star Island Solar Power Project 2014 Jack Farrell General Solar-Diesel Hybrid on Star Island, Maine Energy Transition Initiative Islands Playbook 2015 Energy Transition Initiative General The Department of Energy’s Energy Transition Initiative has published the Islands Playbook, a resource for island communities that is designed to provide “an action-oriented guide to successfully initiating, planning, and completing a transition to an energy system that primarily relies on local resources to eliminate a dependence on one or two imported fuels. It is intended to serve as a readily available framework that any community can adapt to organize its own energy transition effort.”
Monhegan, ME: A small island with many energy challenges 2016 Marian Chioffi, Suzanne MacDonald General
The Island Institute has created the New England Island Energy Profiles series highlighting island communities that are facing critical junctures in their efforts to find sustainable energy solutions that lower their high energy costs. With one of the highest electric rates in the country ($0.70/kWh) and multiple energy projects under consideration, Monhegan is at a critical juncture which may allow for the incorporation of more sustainable energy systems. The island’s power generation system is very quickly approaching the end of its useful life and will be replaced with microturbines, solar PV, updated controls, and a cogeneration system. An energy planning committee is investigating possible ways for the community to move forward beyond these investments.Matinicus, ME: A remote microgrid seeking to incorporate renewable generation 2016 Clayton Philbrook, Suzanne MacDonald General The Island Institute has created the New England Island Energy Profiles series to highlight island communities that are facing critical junctures in their efforts to find sustainable energy solutions that lower their high energy costs. With one of the highest electric rates in the country ($0.68/kWh), Matinicus is pursuing the implementation of a solar/diesel hybrid system to increase reliability and lower costs. Electricity generation and service is plagued with safety, reliability, and efficiency challenges, primarily due to aging generation and distribution infrastructure, and reliance on diesel fuel transported by tanker. These issues have led the island to pursue the “Matinicus Renewable Power Project.” The project will replace the current switchgear, add 150-200 kW of solar photovoltaic (PV) generation and battery storage, and replace the power company’s aging utility line truck. Isle au Haut: Seeking microgrid solutions for an aging transmission cable 2016 Suzanne MacDonald, Jim Wilson General Microgrid, Island, Renewable Energy Community Benefit Agreements and Offshore Wind Energy 2017 Island Institute Offshore Wind Offshore Wind, Community Benefit Agreements Regulation of Offshore Wind Energy: Opportunities for Engagement 2017 Island Institute Offshore Wind Offshore Wind. Economics of Offshore Wind Energy in Maine 2017 Island Institute Offshore Wind Offshore Wind, Economics, Maine Interactions with Offshore Wind Energy: Marine Species 2012 Island Institute Offshore Wind offshore Wind. Marine Species interaction Interactions with Offshore Wind Energy: Birds and Bats 2012 Island Institute Offshore Wind Offshore Wind. In 2012, the Island Institute released a series of fact sheets to address the priority questions, concerns and interests identified by stakeholders along the coast of Maine and New England. These fact sheets were reviewed by researchers and experts and have proven to be a useful, fact-based source of information for coastal stakeholders as they consider the potential benefits and costs associated with offshore wind development and how best to engage in the decision-making processes about where and how to site offshore wind projects. Broadening the Benefits of Ocean Energy: Case studies in innovative local investment and engagement 2013 Suzanne MacDonald Offshore Wind Offshore Wind. In June 2013, Island Institute Community Energy Director Suzanne MacDonald delivered a presentation at the EnergyOcean 2013 conference entitled Broadening the Benefits of Ocean Energy: Case studies in innovative local investment and engagement. The presentation featured examples of local ownership and investment in offshore wind projects around the globe and the positive effects that these models have had on public acceptance of offshore wind in those areas. Slides: Engaging Communities in Offshore Wind, Case Studies and Lessons Learned from New England Islands 2015 Sarah Klain, Suzanne MacDonald, Nicholas Battista Offshore Wind Offshore Wind. On December 15, the Island Institute released a new report, “Engaging Communities in Offshore Wind: Case Studies and Lessons Learned from New England Islands”. With several offshore wind farms currently under consideration off the U.S. Atlantic seaboard, offshore wind has the potential to be an abundant source of renewable, low carbon electricity. Island communities throughout New England are leading the way in developing effective approaches for engaging with offshore wind developers. The report highlights key insights for designing good community engagement processes and demonstrates these best practices through case studies from Block Island (RI), Martha’s Vineyard (MA), and Monhegan (ME).
The findings of the report were presented in a webinar hosted by the Island Institute and the Islanded Grid Resource Center on Tuesday, December 15 which featured a presentation from lead author Sarah Klain (University of British Columbia). The webinar also included a moderated discussion with community members and developers who are leading these processes including Bill Penn (Block Island), Kim Gaffett (Block Island), Bryan Wilson (Deepwater Wind), Marian Chioffi (Monhegan), Jake Ward (University of Maine), Richard Andre (Vineyard Power), and Erik Peckar (Vineyard Power).Report: Engaging Communities in Offshore Wind, Case Studies and Lessons Learned from New England Islands 2015 Sarah Klain, Suzanne MacDonald, Nicholas Battista Offshore Wind Offshore Wind, the Island Institute released a new report, “Engaging Communities in Offshore Wind: Case Studies and Lessons Learned from New England Islands”. With several offshore wind farms currently under consideration off the U.S. Atlantic seaboard, offshore wind has the potential to be an abundant source of renewable, low carbon electricity. Island communities throughout New England are leading the way in developing effective approaches for engaging with offshore wind developers. The report highlights key insights for designing good community engagement processes and demonstrates these best practices through case studies from Block Island (RI), Martha’s Vineyard (MA), and Monhegan (ME).
The findings of the report were presented in a webinar hosted by the Island Institute and the Islanded Grid Resource Center on Tuesday, December 15 which featured a presentation from lead author Sarah Klain (University of British Columbia). The webinar also included a moderated discussion with community members and developers who are leading these processes including Bill Penn (Block Island), Kim Gaffett (Block Island), Bryan Wilson (Deepwater Wind), Marian Chioffi (Monhegan), Jake Ward (University of Maine), Richard Andre (Vineyard Power), and Erik Peckar (Vineyard Power).An Overview from Alaska of Wind-Diesel Hybrid Systems 2014 Rich Stromberg and Josh Craft Wind-Diesel Hybrid An overview from Alaska of Wind-Diesel Hybrid systems. Alaska Wind Overview 2014 Josh Craft Wind-Diesel Hybrid Wind-Diesel Hybrid. This 2014 presentation by Josh Craft of the Alaska Energy Authority gives an overview of the Alaska wind industry including its wind-diesel hybrid systems, their peformance, and the challenges faced and lessons learned to date. Electrical Generation and Conservation on Appledore Island 2014 Ross Hansen and Mike Rosen Wind-Diesel Hybrid Microgrids. Wind-Diesel Hybrid. Shoals Marine Lab Diesel Fuel Savings. ISLAND INSTITUTE ISLAND ENERGY CONFERENCE Microgrids on Islands: Naushon and Cuttyhunk Islands, Massachusetts 2014 Paul Elias Wind-Diesel Hybrid Wind-Diesel Hybrid. We built one village system at the east end of the Elizabeth Islands and are now building a
second one at Cuttyhunk in the West. Our goal was to replace old diesel microgrids with sytems
dominated by renewable sources. We chose solar due to its overall match to our needs: more
power in summer, less in winter.TDX Power – Lessons from the Last Frontier: Energy Action in Alaska 2014 Kord Christianson Wind-Diesel Hybrid Wind-Diesel Hybrid. This is a picture of TDX’s high wind penetration wind-diesel system on St Paul Island, Alaska and
the 80,000 sf Airport and TDX Renewable Energy Technology Center. Broadening the Benefits of Ocean Energy 2013 Suzanne MacDonald Offshore Wind case studies, Maine Engaging Communities in Offshore Wind 2017 Sarah Klain, Suzanne MacDonald, Nicholas Battista Offshore Wind Offshore wind development process. This report is based on both the Island Institute’s work with coastal and island communities
on energy issues