Adapt Energy: Rolling Blackouts, Microgrids, and Elevated Energy Automation

In February of 2021, Texas went through an energy crisis, with many residents experiencing rolling blackouts. PanTech Design CEO Troy Morgan joined host Tyler Kern to talk about this phenomenon, what rolling blackouts are, why they occur and how solutions like microgrids and energy automation can help reduce them.

“You’ll find rolling blackouts happening throughout the United States,” Morgan said. “And it’s unfortunate, because it tends to be based on a first line of defense against an improper predictability on demand.”

When weather conditions shift too hot or too cold and consumers begin using more energy than usual to combat these conditions, the predictability of energy demands becomes skewed. “When the utility companies see the demand rising at a rate they weren’t prepared for or expecting and they are getting close to tapping into their reserves, that’s what can start to cause the need for rolling blackouts.”

Many additional factors play into rolling blackouts, but the fact is, with energy demands increasing, rolling blackouts are a consequence that people could expect to see more of in the future. So, what are the opportunities to help remedy the situation?

Morgan said combating a long-term problem such as rolling blackout begins with education.

“It starts with us as consumers of power understanding our impact. Once we understand our impact, we are going to be more likely to seek opportunities to help,” he said. “And the help is not just helping the world and the United States or the utilities; it’s helping ourselves. People don’t realize how much power they use and how much power they waste.”

When consumers get educated on the problem, Morgan said, that’s when energy automation solutions come into play. “There are so many things that an energy automaton system can do the consumer can be totally hands-off about, but they aren’t going to be willing to take that leap until they are a little bit more educated about why and how this helps.”

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