ATLANTA, GA — Georgia Tech and Georgia Power celebrated the opening of a 1.4-megawatt microgrid in Tech Square with a ribbon-cutting on June 16.
Located at Spring and Fifth Streets in Atlanta, the project was made possible through a longstanding partnership between the two organizations.
Upon the opening celebration of the project, Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera said, “Georgia Tech is committed to addressing the most consequential challenges of our time. That involves advancing science and technology, developing leaders who can create and deploy new solutions, and leading by example with our own practices.”
He then added, “This microgrid is a great illustration of the latter. In our partnership with Georgia Power and the Georgia Public Service Commission, we will be developing and adopting some of the most advanced, efficient, and responsible energy solutions available, in the hope we can serve as an example for others.”
A microgrid is a self-contained power system co-located with the facilities it serves, including generation resources, storage systems, and energy management systems.
The microgrid will provide Georgia Power with insight into how smart energy management systems, such as the one installed at the Coda data center can interact with the grid to achieve optimal energy use. It will also provide learning and teaching opportunities for Georgia Tech professors and students.
Chris Womack, chairman, president, and CEO of Georgia Power, explained the benefit and the importance of the Tech Square Microgrid: “The Tech Square Microgrid is a proven innovative project that will help us better understand microgrids to help service our customers. It brings energy storage and data front and center for research. The microgrid’s distributed energy resources are vital to enhancing grid resiliency and bringing sustainable energy solutions to Georgia’s communities.”
Approved by the Georgia Public Service Commission, the Tech Square Microgrid is being used to evaluate how a microgrid can effectively integrate into and operate as part of the overall electrical grid. Besides providing clean power to Midtown, the facility will also serve as a living laboratory in which industry, government researchers and Georgia Tech will work together to create the next generation of clean energy solutions.
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