![]() ![]() Seventeen MW of that power comes from natural gas. The risk demands local governments prepare to provide energy following such a disaster, particularly at medical facilities and other critical community gathering points. To construct its microgrid, PIT contracted with Peoples Natural Gas to build the grid with power generated from a 20 MW power plant. Research demonstrates that our disenfranchised communities (those who experience barriers to services) suffer the impacts of all disasters disproportionately. Some medications require refrigeration, and several types of medical devices require power.”Ī major earthquake would severely undermine Multnomah County's ability to provide critical health and social services. Microgrids also can be helpful for supplying electricity to. Microgrids can play a critical role in boosting grid flexibility and efficiency. A 59-home community, it is the first in the world to have a positive energy balance, with each home producing 5,600 per year in solar energy profits. “Many people rely on electricity to the degree that their very lives depend on it. This is the Solar Settlement in Freiburg, Germany. “In the event of a major earthquake, we anticipate our energy supply being interrupted for several months,” said John Wasiutynski, Director of the Office of Sustainability. ![]() The Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries recently published an Earthquake Regional Impact analysis, predicting that damage to the electric utility grid in a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake could exceed $40 billion. The risk of a subduction zone earthquake - and ensuing landslides and soil-liquefaction - coupled with the prevalence of buildings that have not been seismically reinforced, creates a critical scenario for Multnomah County. Solar arrays can only supply power in the event of an emergency if the equipment is specifically designed to “island.”Īnd people who depend on powered medical devices are particularly vulnerable to power outages.Ī micro-grid is a network of electricity users with a local energy source, able to function independently, but often attached to the larger electrical grid. These include two solar PV arrays, a microturbine, two energy storage units and four diesel generators, S&C explains in a press release. On the plus side, they tend to cost less and are considered to be a reasonable option for some use. Some facilities have emergency generators, but fuel supplies are limited. Solar cells made with polycrystalline wafers tend to have a lower solar conversion efficiency. Seismically-stable County buildings are located in areas of high social vulnerability. Graduate student Maggie Johanesen joined Multnomah County’s Sustainability team this year to conduct a comprehensive analysis of geographic, social, and infrastructure vulnerabilities in Multnomah County, and identify recommendations for solar storage hubs, known as micro-grids. The Project aims to develop 22 community-scale solar plus battery storage micro-grids in southern Haiti in communities where currently no grid power exists. Explore the story-map by following this link.įor several years, the Institute has paired graduate students with local governments and nonprofits through a Climate Action Fellowship. ![]()
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