If you’ve ever looked closely at a seashell, you know the wonder encapsulated within the graceful spiral of its pearlescent form—what Frank Lloyd Wright called “nature’s most perfect architecture.” The shape is at once sculptural and mathematically precise.
Many sea creatures take a modular approach to expansion. Because their calcified exoskeletons are never shed, they must enlarge their shells to accommodate growth. Many do so by building self-similar units onto the existing structure in a process called gnomonic growth.
The chambered nautilus, for example, adds identical but enlarged compartments to its spiral with structural protein layers, a concrete-like calcified coating, and a pearly nacre interior. Thus, over time, the nautilus’ tiny coil grows into a larger version of itself through the aggregation of new chambers.
Similar expansion can be observed on the energy landscape today. Advances in distributed energy resources, energy storage products, cleaner-burning fuels, and improved data management are driving monumental shifts industry-wide. As distribution configurations change and the location of generation resources shifts, system flexibility becomes increasingly advantageous, making modular expansion essential.
Microgrid clusters and aggregated community energy storage projects offer contemporary examples. In Chicago, two connected energy systems—the Bronzeville Community Microgrid and Illinois Institute of Technology Microgrid—work in harmony to coordinate the operation and power flow from energy resources such as solar, wind, and battery energy storage. In California, three community storage units provide PV smoothing and flexibility to the Sacramento Municipal Utility District’s Anatolia III Solar Smart Homes Community project. These and a myriad of other system designs incorporating distributed energy resources are transforming the shape of traditional energy configurations and expanding its reach.
In this issue of Distributed Energy magazine, we highlight a number of advancements that support the changing contours of our energy architecture.
In “Vehicle to Grid”, we explore the utilization of electric vehicle (EV) batteries for energy storage as connected to a smart grid. This can take place with used EV batteries collected in stationary power banks or as parked electric vehicles that provide power during peak demand times. The utilization of aggregated EVs as energy storage hubs may not only connect resources; it may one day convert parking lots into generation sources.
Fuel cells are also reshaping the energy landscape. In “The Future of Fuel Cells”, we take an in-depth look at the way these devices convert chemical energy to electrical energy using fuels like hydrogen, ethanol, and methane to produce energy, heat, and water. From powering space travel to energizing EVs and providing reliable grid support, fuel cells support the expansion of traditional grid frameworks.
Oftentimes small, incremental changes inspire great efficiencies. Replacing pumps and motors can help buildings use less power. However, in “VFD Technology”, we observe that the installation of variable frequency drives, able to speed up or slow down to match motor demands, can offer a tremendous impact, potentially reducing a building’s energy usage by 20–60%.
In “Smarter Buildings,” we explore ways in which buildings are becoming more responsive and interactive with building management systems that help forge relationships between rooms, devices, and human functions. We see that the IoT increases the connectivity of HVAC systems, lighting, and security systems to extend the reach of the building envelope and create a seamless user experience.
In “Kayenta Solar Facility”, we learn about a 27.3-MW utility-scale solar project that provides locally generated power to homes within the Navajo Nation. Not only does the project produce renewable energy, but it offers residents energy independence and augments the traditional grid with expanded capacity and increased resiliency.
As energy architectures modernize to serve new objectives—integrating diverse power outputs, coordinating disparate technologies, and unifying data streams—it becomes necessary to reevaluate the shape and scale of traditional configurations. By augmenting the existing structure with innovative solutions, in the same way a sea creature enlarges the spiral of its shell, we’re able to shape our energy future and make it more flexible, sustainable, and resilient.
