An interview with a leader in technologies pushing energy
Tina Casey interviews Andy Haun, chief technology officer for Schneider Electric, a "legacy energy management company that still has a foothold in fossil fuels," but is also pioneering microgrid technology in places like Montgomery County, Maryland.
In the interview, Haun explains how the company’s cloud-based energy management platform is propelling the company’s renewable energy profile, explains Casey. According to Haun, microgid energy generation and automation go had in hand.
Our EcoStruxure system is tied to an edge controller, which works with the smart devices and facilitates their behavior. The difference is that we augment the edge controller with a cloud environment analytics engine, that gathers data from all the smart products, across the cloud services, and makes bigger, broader, smarter decisions.
Think of it like a symphony. You can have the best musicians, and they all know exactly what to do. But you can’t just say “go play” at them. It will sound awful.
The musicians don’t know what you’re hearing. They need a conductor. The conductor is aware of the audience, and can modulate the sound. So, the edge controller is like the conductor.
Haun also provides additional insight about the Microgrids program under the direction of the Montgomery County Office of Energy and Sustainability. Haun describes Schneider Electric's contribution to this program as "energy as a service."
A third party investor does the microgrid and all the infrastructure, so they own and operate the assets.
Montgomery pays the owner-operator the fee for the electricity, just like a utility. It’s like buying electricity off the meter, plus you get all the other services.
The system also improves over years, through cloud computing, which enables it to constantly adjust itself.
The wide-ranging interview also touches on questions of the role of conventional utilities in a microgrid-enabled energy future and the benefits of microgrids to reliability and resilience.
FULL STORY: The Renewable Energy Revolution, One Microgrid At A Time

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

Washington State’s Parking Reform Law Could Unlock ‘Countless’ Acres for New Housing
A law that limits how much parking cities can require for residential amd commercial developments could lead to a construction boom.

Wildlife Rebounds After the Eaton Fire
Following the devastation of the Eaton Fire, the return of wildlife and the regrowth of native plants are offering powerful signs of resilience and renewal.

LA to Replace Inglewood Light Rail Project With Bus Shuttles
LA Metro says the change is in response to community engagement and that the new design will be ready before the 2028 Olympic Games.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions