In response to the growing challenges posed by extreme weather events and the strain on existing grids, companies are increasingly turning to local power generation solutions, or microgrids, to bolster energy resiliency, achieve sustainability targets, and diminish dependence on carbon-emitting energy sources.
Schneider Electric and Mainspring Energy have joined forces to develop an innovative flex-fuel local power generation solution, leveraging Schneider’s EcoStruxure Microgrid Flex platform and Mainspring’s cutting-edge linear generator technology.
The collaborative effort between Schneider and Mainspring aims to provide industrial and commercial clients with a microgrid solution that reduces reliance on fossil fuels and ensures dependable access to requisite energy.
Microgrids for Sustainability and Reliability
Healthcare facilities and data centers, in particular, face mounting pressure to curtail energy expenses, enhance operational reliability, and reduce carbon footprints. Schneider’s EcoStruxure Microgrid Flex platform addresses these dual imperatives by offering a comprehensive framework for managing microgrid power generation from renewable and other energy sources to complement the grid.
With validated architectures and an extensive distributed energy resource library, EcoStruxure Microgrid Flex facilitates rapid deployment, with implementation timelines measured in months rather than years. The platform, highly customizable, features a core package comprising an energy control center, battery energy storage system, and software for seamless system operations management. It enables concurrent management of multiple local power sources, including solar, wind, and generators, either in conjunction with or independently of the grid, affording customers flexibility and reliability in meeting their energy needs.
Linear Generator Technology
Mainspring’s linear generators, capable of accommodating low- and zero-carbon fuels, integrate seamlessly with the EcoStruxure Microgrid Flex platform, offering customers a clean, on-demand energy source for their microgrids. Unlike conventional rotating generators, Mainspring’s linear generator employs linear motion to produce electricity. Compression of a gas mixture induces a low-temperature reaction in the generator’s center, propelling magnets through copper coils to generate electricity. This unique design minimizes emissions of nitrous oxide and maximizes efficiency, while software-controlled compression variations enable fuel flexibility.
Future Outlook
When coupled with renewable power generation and battery energy storage, Mainspring’s flex-fuel linear generator adds an additional layer of redundancy, ensuring access to local, clean power on demand. As carbon-free local power generation technologies mature, the proliferation of larger microgrids capable of delivering cost-competitive power for commercial and industrial operations is expected, further reducing reliance on traditional grids.