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High winds, a beaming sun, a remote landscape — the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL’s) Flatirons Campus might be a familiar environment to military servicemembers. Here at “Fort Renewable,” down a dirt road from the main research campus, military Quonset huts are dispersed among energy assets like solar photovoltaics and battery storage.

Compared to a real military base, the Fort Renewable setup is not so much forward-operating as forward-thinking, with its own critical mission: to design high-renewable systems for secure applications. With unique cyber and physical capabilities, NREL’s microgrid research platform is the scene of large-scale grid demonstrations that are helping the military, microgrid, and energy storage industries transition past technical barriers toward extreme renewable integration.

Quonset huts at NREL replicate military microgrid environments so that DOD and partners can reliably evaluate energy security with renewables and battery storage.

Quonset huts at NREL replicate military microgrid environments so that DOD and partners can reliably evaluate energy security with renewables and battery storage.

Quonset huts at NREL replicate military microgrid environments so that DOD and partners can reliably evaluate energy security with renewables and battery storage.

A Competition To Create Quality Microgrids

Microgrids are nothing new to the military, and especially nothing new for NREL–Department of Defense (DOD) collaborations. But as new threats emerge on energy systems — generally cyber and environmental — the DOD is now looking to bolster its backup power with battery storage, in place of a current preference for diesel generators.

“We’ve had military microgrids for 20 years now,” said Brian Miller, a senior NREL researcher and microgrid research lead. “But we didn’t have batteries back then, and very little solar.”

Relying on diesel generators alone could put microgrids at risk. If a true disaster scenario takes down the grid for an extended period, the military’s old diesel generators would not survive multiweek outages.

“Renewables and battery storage have the potential to last longer on fuel supplies and provide important energy diversity,” Miller said.

To discover the best microgrid-storage implementations across its diverse sites, the DOD arranged a unique program that is half competition, half technology accelerator. Under the program, the early-stage companies have been invited to validate their microgrid solutions on progressively more realistic grid systems, and progressively more challenging platforms. This way, companies can quickly gain field experience, DOD can confidently invest in its own microgrid improvements, and the experimental results will be widely available as stakeholder resources.

The project is facilitated through the DOD Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) and therefore inherits the program’s goal of assisting early-stage commercial products past the difficulties of breaking into the market. Each participating company is matched with an industry principal investigator, forming teams of two that apply the commercial concepts to real microgrid operations.

The validations got underway in 2020. While each of the participating teams are ultimately striving to prove their technologies at an actual DOD base, they first must advance through two lower-fidelity trials. These initial validations are taking place at NREL, where energy systems can be emulated to exact similarity under most any scenario.

Building Military Microgrids at a Replica Base

In preparation for the program, NREL refashioned its world-class power systems research platform ARIES into a distributed military microgrid — off-grid as a DOD base might be, but with high-performance experimental assets like weather stations and six-strand fiber optic communication links. At NREL’s Fort Renewable, DOD and participating companies have now been able to truly validate and derisk commercial microgrid systems.

Each team’s microgrid-battery storage solution is tested against emulated power outages, which the microgrid controls must be capable of managing.

Each team’s microgrid-battery storage solution is tested against emulated power outages, which the microgrid controls must be capable of managing.

Phase 1 of the program brought seven teams to NREL, where their microgrid-storage concepts were plugged into virtual systems and analyzed with simulated operations. This first phase validated teams’ technologies on a model military base, testing whether the devices could respond with a baseline level of performance, and filtered the number of participating teams down to four. Phase 1 results are available on the ESTCP website.

Phase 2 of the project raised the bar higher: Teams have submitted their technologies to more rigorous validations on a near-exact approximation of DOD’s Naval Air Station Patuxent River (NAS Patuxent River) — a 34-MW Air Force base in Maryland — replicated right inside NREL.

“Our platform is built such that users can prove their designs for islandable microgrids that are able to provide power in a long-duration emergency at a reasonable cost,” said Miller, who led the development of the military microgrid research platform. “Doing a study is one thing, but you can’t pencil whip whether a power hardware is successful. That’s why these companies come to NREL. If they can leverage our capabilities, it’s huge.”

Miller, himself once a major in the U.S. Air Force, has a career’s worth of energy resilience experience drawn from service overseas and across the United States, and used his background to build out the replica research environment.

The research platform involves about 250 kW of hardware, which is variously swapped with teams’ technologies — everything from microgrid switches and controllers to batteries. The teams rely on NREL for the rest of the microgrid environment: power and grid emulators, SCADA networks, switchgear, load banks, renewable resources, and a replica of the NAS Patuxent River grid.

And that covers just the hardware. The full platform crosses nearly every lab space in NREL’s Energy Systems Integration Facility and connects out to the Flatirons assets miles away. An integrated Cyber-Energy Emulation Platform (CEEP) digitally emulates communications and controls for the microgrids, while a vast sensor network simultaneously collects power data at all points throughout the microgrid and visualizes interactive metrics in real time. All told, the military microgrid research platform is as close to real as the teams will experience until Phase 3.

Microgrid Lessons for a Larger Grid

Each team has a different approach to microgrid-storage solutions: One is using redox-flow batteries, others bring their own microgrid controllers, and another is validating lithium iron phosphate battery storage. As of Phase 2, the participating teams are led by Ameresco, the Energy Power Research Institute, Raytheon, and SRI and Arizona State University. Cummins, which helped NREL build out the military microgrid research platform and contributed its microgrid controller to the design, has also thrown its hat into the program. NREL could not resist entering the action as well.

The teams have an important stake in the program — successful validations could carry their products from relative obscurity to energy markets anywhere, with the bonus of being proven in highly demanding applications. But the larger energy industry stands to gain something more: The demonstrations are establishing first-ever data around what works for critical applications of energy storage in microgrids.

“This project is about learning how critical loads can survive disaster and outage scenarios,” said Martha Symko-Davies, laboratory program manager of the ESIF. “We’re not validating microgrids for the military only; we want to do this for the whole country. Future campuses and microgrid systems will look to this project for examples, and to NREL for microgrid research capabilities that exist nowhere else.”

In this perspective, project teams endure the hardest tests so that future microgrids can better survive worst-case scenarios. NREL validations force difficult decisions that a critical microgrid could encounter, like choosing between multiple critical loads. For participating teams, their early-stage concepts that have scarcely seen commercial applications are up against disasters that any system would hope to never see, but nevertheless must prepare for.

“Some universities maintain billion-dollar inventories of temperature-controlled cell cultures, for example. This is a critical load compared to other buildings on campus, and a functional microgrid should be able to allocate power accordingly,” Miller said.

NREL is advancing distributed grid and microgrid control and optimization solutions through research such as Autonomous Energy Systems and products like OptGrid.

Beyond specific technologies, this ESTCP evaluation program is creating important knowledge for microgrids generally. Networked microgrids are an upcoming approach for accommodating distributed energy while enhancing resilience against future threats. Likewise, the Autonomous Energy Systems portfolio of work is developing microgrid controls for autonomous configuration and operation of connected microgrid systems. In each topic, the ESTCP program is showing what critical microgrid operations look like — the real results of applying renewable energy assets to resilience events.

As the participants move to Phase 3 of the program — installation at one of seven DOD microgrid sites — industry moves one step closer to resilient renewable microgrids. For all the expectations that microgrids and renewables could reliably support critical loads, a new class of commercial players is arriving with the first data to show exactly how.

Article courtesy of NREL.

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Terawatt opens its first electric charging truck stop in California

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April 17, 2025

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Terawatt opens its first electric charging truck stop in California

Terawatt charging truck stop
Photo: Terawatt

Terawatt Infrastructure‘s first medium- and heavy-duty electric charging truck stop in California is now online, in Rancho Dominguez.

Located 12 miles north of the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, the private Rancho Dominguez site, which is shared among multiple fleets, will support electric trucking fleet operations in and out of the largest container ports in the US.

First customers include Dreaded Trucking, Hight Logistics, PepsiCo, Quick Container Drayage, Southern Counties Express, Tradelink Transport, and WestCoast Trucking & Warehousing.

Terawatt’s electric charging truck stop features 20 pull-through and bobtail DC fast charging stalls with a capacity of 7 megawatts (MW), enabling charging for up to 125 trucks per day using a simple reservations system. Terawatt’s site features a proprietary charge management system, in-house technicians, 24/7 customer service, and onsite parts management.

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“This launch underscores growing collaboration between enterprises, shippers, carriers, and charging infrastructure providers to advance sustainable technologies across logistics and transportation operations, especially in the medium and heavy-duty sectors,” said Neha Palmer, CEO and cofounder of Terawatt. Palmer added that the company will bring another charging site online in Rialto, California, in June.

Terawatt joined some of the world’s largest shippers and carriers in September 2024 to launch the I-10 Consortium heavy-duty EV operations pilot, the “first-ever US over-the-road electrified corridor.” Terawatt is providing charging infrastructure, including software, operations, and maintenance support at six of its owned charging hubs along the I-10 corridor.

If you live in an area that has frequent natural disaster events, and are interested in making your home more resilient to power outages, consider going solar and adding a battery storage system. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*

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Trump admin halts $5 billion NY offshore wind project mid-build

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April 17, 2025

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Trump admin halts billion NY offshore wind project mid-build

Equinor Empire Wind
Photo: Equinor

In its most aggressive attack against offshore wind yet, the Trump administration halted the $5 billion Empire Wind 1, already under construction off New York’s coast.

Norwegian developer Equinor announced yesterday that it received notice from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) ordering Empire Wind 1 to halt all activities on the outer continental shelf until BOEM has completed its review. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum posted this tweet yesterday:

Burgum gave no indication of what insufficiencies there were in the approval process for the fully permitted offshore wind project, despite Trump’s recent declaration of a national energy emergency that speeds up permitting processes.

The commercial lease for the 810-megawatt (MW) Empire Wind 1’s federal offshore wind area was signed in March 2017 during the first Trump administration. It was approved by the Biden administration in November 2023 and began construction in 2024.

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The project is being developed under contract with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Empire Wind 1, which was due to come online in 2027, has the potential to power 500,000 New York homes.

“Halting construction of fully permitted energy projects is the literal opposite of an energy abundance agenda,” said American Clean Power Association CEO Jason Grumet in a statement. “We encourage the administration to quickly address perceived inadequacies in the prior permit approvals so that this project can complete construction and bring much-needed power to the grid.”

As Electrek reported, Equinor secured $3 billion to finance Empire Wind 1 in January. The total amount drawn under the project finance term loan facility as of March 31 was around $1.5 billion. 

As of March 31, Empire Wind has a gross book value of around $2.5 billion, including South Brooklyn Marine Terminal (pictured above), which was expected to become the US’s largest dedicated port facility for offshore wind.

In response to BOEM’s stop work order, New York Governor Kathy Hochul issued the following statement:

Every single day, I’m working to make energy more affordable, reliable and abundant in New York and the federal government should be supporting those efforts rather than undermining them. Empire Wind 1 is already employing hundreds of New Yorkers, including 1,000 good-paying union jobs as part of a growing sector that has already spurred significant economic development and private investment throughout the state and beyond.

As Governor, I will not allow this federal overreach to stand. I will fight this every step of the way to protect union jobs, affordable energy and New York’s economic future.

Equinor says it’s considering appealing BOEM’s order.

To limit power outages and make your home more resilient, consider going solar with a battery storage system. In order to find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and you share your phone number with them.

Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*

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Jackery Earth Day Sale takes up to 50% off units with bonus savings, G-Force moto-style ZM e-bike at $800 off, Greenworks, more

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April 17, 2025

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Jackery Earth Day Sale takes up to 50% off units with bonus savings, G-Force moto-style ZM e-bike at 0 off, Greenworks, more

Leading today’s Green Deals is Jackery’s Earth Day Sale that is taking up to 50% off power stations, with many of them being marked down from the brand’s short-term Easter savings, complete with bonus savings. Among the lineup, we spotted the expandable Explorer 2000 Plus Portable Power Station bundled with a 500W solar panel at its $1,614 low. Coming up right behind it is G-Force Bikes’ Spring Sale with up to $800 in e-bike savings, the largest of which is on the moto-styled ZM All-Terrain Fat Tire e-bike that starts at $1,199 for an 80-mile trekking single-battery setup, with a double battery option not much higher. Lastly, we have a one-day-only new low price on the Greenworks 1,900 PSI Steel-Framed Electric Pressure Washer at $118, as well as a bonus cleaner attachment deal. Plus, all the other hangover Green Deals are in the links at the bottom of the page, like yesterday’s Earth Day savings on both Bluetti power stations and Lectric’s e-bike bundles, and more.

Head below for other New Green Deals we’ve found today and, of course, Electrek’s best EV buying and leasing deals. Also, check out the new Electrek Tesla Shop for the best deals on Tesla accessories.

Invest in sustainable power for on-the-go and home backup at up to 50% off with Jackery’s Earth Day Sale from $90

Jackery has officially launched its Earth Day Sale through April 25 which is lowering many of its previous Easter offers with up to 50% off a collection of power stations, solar generators, and some accessories – and we’re also seeing on-page promo codes for extra savings. One such bundle gives you the brand’s Explorer 2000 Plus Portable Power Station with a 500W solar panel for $1,614.05 shipped, after using the promo code EXTRA5 at checkout for an additional 5% off. It’s already coming down from its usual $2,949 price tag, with the bonus savings dipping that price further, back to the best we’ve seen from some of this year’s previous events. You’re looking at a combined 45% markdown here, putting $1,335 back in your pocket and equipping you with an expandable means for on-the-go and at-home backup power at the lowest price we have tracked. Like most of the deals in this sale, you’ll find this package beating out its Amazon pricing too, where it’s currently sitting $307 higher.

Grabbing this Jackery Explorer 2000 Plus bundle starts you off with a 2,042Wh LiFePO4 capacity that can support up to five extra batteries that increase things to 12,000Wh – plus, there’s the option to continue expansion with two of these setups being linked together to reach 24,000Wh. Power output here provides a steady 3,000W through the 10 ports, surging to 6,000W for larger needs, which becomes its regular output levels within expanded setups. It also has a 1,200W maximum solar input, which recharges the battery to full in two hours with six 200W panels (so around 5+ hours with the bundle here). You can also have the battery recharged via a wall outlet in two hours as well, though this doesn’t account for expandable setups.

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***Note: The extra 5% off discount has not been factored into the prices below – be sure to use the code EXTRA5 at checkout for the maximum savings!

Jackery Earth Day flash offers (through April 18):

Jackery’s Earth Day Sale home backup deals:

Jackery’s Earth Day Sale appliance backup deals:

Jackery’s Earth Day Sale outdoor backup deals:

Jackery’s accessory deals:

You can shop through Jackery’s entire Earth Day Sale on the landing page here.

G-Force ZM All-Terrain e-bike

G-Force Spring Sale drops moto-styled ZM all-terrain e-bike with 80-mile range to $1,199

G-Force Bikes is having a Spring Sale running through the rest of the month that is also being billed as a “last-chance sale” before prices increase due to tariffs, with the brand providing a countdown clock on its site. Among the up to $800 we’re seeing across the brand’s lineup of e-bikes, we spotted the ZM All-Terrain Fat Tire e-bike down at $1,199 shipped. Normally fetching $1,999 direct from the brand, with third-party sites pricing it as high as $2,499, the discounts we have tracked over the last year have mainly been seen dropping costs between $1,299 and $1,499. It’s getting the maximum savings during this sale at $800 off, dropping it to the lowest price we can find while also giving you a pair of HD wide-angle rearview mirrors free of charge, valued at $49.

The G-Force ZM e-bike borrows heavily from motorcycle styling while still retaining a street-legal class 3 status, equipped with a 750W brushless gear hub motor that can peak as high as 1,300W to deliver up to 86Nm of torque power, topping out at 28 MPH speeds. What’s more, for such an affordable price, it also provides some extensive traveling range, with the standard 20Ah single-battery option carrying you 60 to 80 miles with its five PAS levels or you can double that to 120 to 160 for just $200 more with the 40Ah dual-battery setup.

For such a low price, there’s a nice array of quality features that it brings along, like the full suspension, with an adjustable front fork and rear system for smoother riding, along with hydraulic disc brakes for guaranteed stopping power, and 20-inch puncture-resistant tires with fenders over each for those off-road ventures. That’s not all, as you’ll also find it has a 400-pound payload, a 48V LED headlight, an integrated rear light with braking functionality, a 7-speed Shimano derailleur, a wear-resistant padded bench seat with room for a passenger, a half-twist throttle for electric cruising, and a large color LCD with a USB port for charging up devices as you ride, particularly nice if you use your phone as a GPS.

G-Force’s other Spring Sale e-bike deals:

Greenworks 1,900 PSI electric pressure washer

Get rid of muck with this steel-framed Greenworks 1,900 PSI electric pressure washer at new $118 low (Today only)

As part of its Deals of the Day, Best Buy is offering the best rate yet on the Greenworks 1,900 PSI Steel-Framed Cold Water Electric Pressure Washer for $117.99 shipped. This model usually goes for $200 in full, with the discounts we’ve seen taking things as low as $120 over the past year. That rate is getting beaten out here by $2 for the rest of the day only, providing you a total of $82 in savings and marking a new all-time low. You won’t find this model currently available at Amazon, nor is it getting any discounts direct from Greenworks either. Below, you’ll also find a secondary one-day-only deal on a cleaning attachment that amplifies its capabilities.

Sporting a durable open steel frame design, the 13A motor on this Greenworks pressure washer provides you with up to 1,900 PSI at a 1.2 GPM flow rate to tackle the muck and grime along driveways, walkways, and the like. You won’t need to wrestle with pull strings, as it starts up with the press of a button, not to mention its electrical functionality, getting rid of the fumes and costs from gas – plus, it even has a waterproof plug at the end of its 35-foot power cord to ensure extra protection. You’ll have on-board storage for the included nozzles, the hose, and the metal spray gun, as well as an integrated soap tank for detergent when you need some extra cleaning power.

A secondary deal lasting the rest of the day that compliments the above or any of the brand’s pressure washers, is the 12-inch Surface Cleaner Attachment for $20.99 shipped, down from $40. It has a quick-connect feature for a faster and more effortless setup, with dual cleaning nozzles on its underside to level up the pressure washer’s cleaning power and coverage area.

Best Spring EV deals!

Best new Green Deals landing this week

The savings this week are also continuing to a collection of other markdowns. To the same tune as the offers above, these all help you take a more energy-conscious approach to your routine. Winter means you can lock in even better off-season price cuts on electric tools for the lawn while saving on EVs and tons of other gear.

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