Excellerate, an innovator of manufactured electrical components and assemblies, and Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, have launched the Xcape by Excellerate Energy Microgrid.
Xcape is an agile microgrid solution designed for quick deployment and installation, helping deliver power when needed in even the most remote locations.
Whether due to unexpected grid failure, natural disasters or business operation needs, urgent power situations are inevitable and Xcape can help mitigate the risk. It provides a cost-effective solution for areas where utility power is not easily accessible, and with its ability to be quickly installed, it’s a practical solution to support emergency response efforts.
“When crises occur in zones that are either cut off or away from electricity grids, access to fast, reliable and affordable energy is required. Until now, relief operations have had to rely on fossil fuel energy which can be expensive, difficult to transport or dangerous,” said Charlie Fredrickson, vice president of product development for Excellerate.
“Microgrid technology has advanced to where we can offer rapid access to clean, secure and flexible power to give users more control over the availability of electricity for their standard and emergency needs.”
The Xcape microgrid is manufactured by Excellerate and powered by Schneider Electric’s advanced microgrid technology.
Xcape includes a pre-designed and transportable battery microgrid and leverages Schneider Electric’s power inverters, controllers and software. The technology enables the delivery of sustainable power resilience more quickly and cost-effectively than traditional solutions.
“The dynamics of our electricity system are shifting to the point that reliable access to electricity is no longer a given from the main power system alone. The Xcape microgrid offers businesses and communities an alternative to being without power because of severe weather, natural disasters or planned system outages,” said Don Wingate, vice president utility & microgrid Solutions, Schneider Electric. “We’re excited to work alongside Excellerate to help give businesses and communities access to reliable, safe, efficient and affordable energy.”
The Xcape microgrid further addresses the time frame, cost and scalability concerns of some legacy microgrid systems:
· It can be installed in less than two days on average, while the typical installation of custom microgrids can take months
· It is less expensive than alternative resiliency options, does not rely on fossil fuels and produces benefits beyond black-out events
· It alleviates the need for custom design and engineering, making scalability feasible
· Operates in full islanded mode
Additionally, unlike diesel generators, there is no on-site fuel storage requirements to use Xcape, and performance of the system is not dependent on fuel-supply logistics.
