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It's not every day you come across free stuff that's actually useful. But today we can point you to two free tools that – depending on your needs – may prove extremely useful. You'll find brief descriptions of both below; click to page 2 for more details.l

 

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1. NERC and EPRI release open source code to analyze geomagnetically induced currents

 

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), Department of Energy (DOE) and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) developed a simulation tool for the electric industry to analyze geomagnetically induced currents (GIC) on their systems. The open-source code software is part of NERC’s ongoing efforts to identify high-impact, low-frequency risks, such as the impact of geomagnetic disturbances effects on the bulk power system.

 

 “One of the key findings in NERC's geomagnetic disturbance report is the bulk power system planners and operators require more tools to simulate the impacts of GIC on the grid,” said Mark Lauby, vice president and director of Reliability Assessments and Performance Analysis at NERC. “This open-source software is a starting point toward equipping the industry with the information needed to ensure continued bulk power system reliability.”

 

The GIC software has been added to EPRI's existing Open Source Distribution System Simulator (OpenDSS), which is a comprehensive electric power system simulation tool that supports frequency domain analyses. You can download it here.

 

2. EPA and DOE launch new tools to determine solar and wind energy potential on contaminated lands

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have developed and launched alternative energy ‘decision trees’ designed to test underutilized sites and contaminated land for solar and wind energy potential. The tools give local communities and landowners ways to evaluate sites for renewable energy potential without the need for technical expertise.

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“Opportunities to install renewable energy systems on vacant properties can be found in every community," said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “Tapping sun and wind power at brownfield sites, rooftops, parking lots, and abandoned land could provide untapped gigawatts of clean energy.”

The tools and a podcast on the solar and wind decision trees are available on EPA’s website.

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You might also be interested in…

Two killer grid simulation tools from a national lab (and one is free)

Get more details on page 2 >>

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