Climate change has increasingly been demonstrated to correlate with rising temperatures, increased precipitation, and more frequent extreme weather events. Each of these factors puts a strain on the electrical grid. When combined with aging infrastructure like in Michigan, power outages become much more frequent (see figure below). This can lead to loss of production time and lost revenue for industrial facilities. To combat these issues proactively, manufacturers have begun to implement various strategies to improve their energy resilience.
Key Definitions:
- Energy Resilience - Per DOE, it's the ability to “rapidly recover from power outages and continue operating with electricity, heating, cooling, ventilation, and other energy-dependent services” like production
- Mitigation - Reducing the source
- Adaptation - Managing risks and addressing impacts
Key Strategies:
- Advanced planning and risk-aware company culture
- Backup power/energy storage, including generators and batteries
- On-site energy generation, including solar and CHP
- Flexibility in production times and processes
- Redundancy in process equipment and lines
- Maintaining extra stock
- Quid pro quo arrangements with similar manufacturers
Learn More:
- DOE Screening Tool for Industrial Resilience
- Michigan RRC Resiliency Toolkit
- Addressing Barriers to Resilience in Michigan
- Climate Resilient Pathways: Catalyzing Private Sector Action
- Resiliencemetrics.org