With Great Power Bringing the electric co-op into the 21st century
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Oct 31, 2023 They discuss the importance of clean energy and how electric cooperatives need to evolve. They received a $38 million grant for grid improvement projects and plan to implement a new energy management system. They also talk about the advantages and challenges of electric co-ops in the energy transition. They have ambitious plans for electric vehicle adoption and emphasize the need to challenge the status quo and embrace change.
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From Troublemaker To Physics To Co-op Leader
- Peter Muhoro didn't grow up wanting an energy career and initially avoided science in college.
- A professor steered him to physics, which ultimately led to his co-op leadership role.
Federal Grant Funds A 21st-Century Grid Backbone
- REC won a $38 million DOE grant to modernize its grid with DERMS, smart meters, and fiber.
- This backbone enables aggregation of distributed resources and virtual power plants for future reliability.
Member Ownership Drives Faster Consumer Focus
- Cooperatives are naturally consumer-centric because members are owner-consumers with voting power.
- That ownership makes co-ops nimble and often earlier adopters of grid tech like AMI.