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Be Prepared for Power Outages during Summer Heatwaves

Posted by Dalkia Aegis on Jul 14

When you think of power outage related events, snowstorms or thunderstorms probably come to mind, but summer heatwaves can also be a common culprit. As temperatures start to rise, more and more people turn on their air conditioners and fans, overwhelming the power grid. We can help you make sure your facility is prepared for power outages this summer by decreasing your reliance on the grid through both combined heat and power (CHP) and microgrid solutions.

What Are Rolling Blackouts? 

Rotational load shedding, known as a rolling blackout, is a last-resort measure utility companies use to avoid a total system failure and a complete grid blackout. With this technique, the utility shuts off power to select areas on a rotating basis, so it isn’t completely overwhelmed during peak demand. This practice was used heavily during frigid temperatures across the country this past winter and in California during extended heatwaves last summer.

Resiliency Provided by Dalkia Aegis 

While there’s essentially no long-term warning for when your area will be selected for a weather-related rolling blackout, there are steps you can take you make sure you keep the lights on and achieve independence from the grid.

First, you can invest in a combined heat and power system. When used independently, our CHP systems provide a resilient, 24/7 standby power option that is beneficial to businesses operating always-on equipment, including:

You can also use CHP in conjunction with a microgrid, which is a local energy system with its own control capability, so it operates outside the traditional power grid. During an outage, your CHP system can automatically separate from the utility grid and provide consistent power and thermal energy to the microgrid connected facility or facilities. When the heatwave-related blackouts have passed, you can switch back to operation on the larger grid while still maintaining the cost- and energy-efficient benefits of the CHP system.

The heat is coming, so make sure your facility is prepared. Contact us today to learn more about our solutions or our Shared Savings Program, which allows you to take advantage of the energy cost-savings without capital investments or operating expenses.