Microgrids Energy Through Haiti Earthquake

After the devastating earthquake in Haiti last week, EarthSpark International temporarily deactivated its small 100kW community network in Les Anglais to check for faulty wires and wait for potential aftershocks. Alison Arcambault, president of the nonprofit, was horrified that EarthSpark would not be able to reactivate the microgrid if inspections revealed damage.

The 7.2 earthquake was so severe that it killed more than 2,200 people, destroyed an estimated 55,000 homes, and created a powerful earthquake that affected more than a million people.

Given the scale of the damage to Archambault, I realize that it would be difficult to repair a small network if its distribution system required specialized tools. The landslides made the roads impassable.

The earthquake destroyed the house, but the small grid poles were unharmed. Courtesy of EarthSpark International

Fortunately for the city’s residents, the micro-grid, made up of solar, storage and diesel, has reactivated it, providing power for a cell tower. Electricity helped residents quickly hold funerals for those who died in the earthquake and whose bodies were not taken to the mortuary due to closed roads. Some of the 2,000 micro-network customers were allowed to celebrate Patron Saint’s Day with music and cold drinks.

Not only did the small network of Les Anglais power through the August 14 earthquake, but the small 95 kW EarthSpark in Tiburon, a small fishing town on the southern Haiti Peninsula, also survived the earthquake. Also operating during the disaster was a small network served by the Cooperative Electrique de l’Arrondissement des Coteaux that provides power to 1,200 people in Coteaux, Roche-à-Bateaux and Port au Piment. NRECA spokeswoman Kate Tillotson said the device was installed by the National Rural Electricity Cooperative Association (NRECA).

“The power system we installed remained running without any visible damage,” she said.

EarthSpark raises funds for more DERs and small networks in Haiti

For Archambault of EarthSpark, the recent Haiti crisis has sparked interest in adding distributed energy resources (DER) near critical services such as the cell tower. With such resources, the organization will not have to worry much about energy loss due to collapsed poles and wires.

“If we have more distributed power, solar plus storage, across the grid, we are less dependent on any piece of infrastructure,” she said. The organization is working to raise funds to add DERs to small networks.

According to EarthSpark, its Tiburon small network had more than 380 connections by the end of the second quarter of 2020, and the company expects to serve more than 500 homes and businesses over the next few years. Customers required about 4,000 kWh in April 2020, a higher per capita consumption than the Les Anglais system, reflecting Tiburon’s higher income levels.

EarthSpark added a new battery and setup system for Les Anglais microgrid in 2019 – 208 kWh storage capacity – allowing 24/7 service.

The organization is also raising funds for proposed small community networks in 22 towns located in the earthquake zone. In this area, there is no electricity network, but the residents use diesel generators that will be replaced by small renewable networks. Arcambolt said the Green Climate Fund will provide $9.9 million for the $45 million project. The nonprofit is working to raise the rest of the money.

Arcambault said EarthSpark has learned, through its work on the microgrid in Haiti, that the value of using diesel in systems on the island is outweighed by the problems it causes.

Free resource from the Microgrid Knowledge Library How to improve energy storage in a microgrid In this paper, new voltage sensitivity indexes are proposed to search for and evaluate candidate buses in a microgrid, where energy storage systems can be installed to contribute more effectively to the system. To learn more about optimal energy storage in a microgrid, download this white paper. We always respect your privacy and do not sell or rent our listings to third parties. By downloading this white paper, you agree to our Terms of Service. You can opt out at any time. Get this PDF by email.

We will never use diesel again. We will do 100% solar and storage. Diesel is a small part of the energy and a big part of the challenges, she said. The main challenge is the lack of diesel.

The need for basic necessities

Another key lesson for EarthSpark is that electricity is important to a country like Haiti, but even more so are basic necessities like medical care and fabrics to protect people sleeping in the rain during a tropical storm that followed the earthquake.

EarthSpark hopes to help prepare for disasters – including strengthening health clinics – in 22 other cities where it will build small networks.

“In addition to ensuring that we are able to operate critical loads during natural disasters, we are now reaching out to understand if we can also use logistics, management and local teams to help support other aspects of disaster preparedness in the 22 cities where we plan to expand,” Archambault said.

Sigora Haiti also operates in the country, and its assets include three small networks in the cities of Môle-Saint-Nicolas, Jean Rabel and Presqu’île. A company spokesperson noted that the private utility company serves more than 25,000 people in Haiti, but he could not confirm whether the small networks continued to operate after the earthquake.

Keep track of news about small networks that are running through natural disasters. Subscribe to our free Microgrid knowledge newsletter.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos