Natural Gas Microgrids Keeping Power On for Grocery and Convenience Stores in Areas Affected by Hurricane Harvey

Natural Gas Microgrids Keeping Power On for Grocery and Convenience Stores in Areas Affected By Hurricane Harvey

Pre-planning by H-E-B grocery stores in Houston, Buc-ee convenience stores and truck stops, and others is paying off. Knowing the Houston area was in danger of flooding they worked with back-up energy system supplier Enchanted Rock to set up natural gas-based microgrids with continuous supply of pipeline gas. The pipelines are not affected by high winds nor high water. These are their first gas-based systems installed just this year. Gas-based systems have advantages over diesel-based systems: they are not mobile truck-mounted systems that must be moved in during bad weather and they do not require re-fueling. 

Apparently, this has been quite a success, with grocery stores remaining open for needy customers, able to keep their freezers running, and able to provide meeting places for first responders. The ability to provide quality power during emergencies for places like hospitals, grocery stores, and other places that require refrigeration like food manufacturing facilities - is one of the major functions of a microgrid. While renewable energy, especially solar, and where applicable wind, can be added, as can battery back-up, natural gas offers superior reliability and quality. 

In light of this success I would look for more companies operating in vulnerable areas to add natural gas microgrid technology. As Enchanted Rock notes, these systems are designed to provide uninterrupted reliable grid-quality power. Once again the versatility of pipelined natural gas is evident. 

Article linked below:

http://www.powermag.com/microgrid-system-keeps-houston-grocery-stores-open-in-wake-of-harvey/?pagenum=2

References:

Microgrid System Keeps Houston Grocery Stores Open in Wake of Harvey – by Darrell Proctor, in PowerMag, Aug. 29, 2017