Milbank to Host 2016 National Conference on Microgrids in Kansas City

Milbank Manufacturing Co., Kansas City, Mo., has been selected as the presenting sponsor of the 2016 National Conference on Microgrids to be held in Kansas City April 13‐16, 2016.  Technical sessions will focus on a wide range of topics pertaining to microgrids and distributed energy technologies including generation, storage, advanced controls, metering and communication protocols. Conference attendees get a behind‐the‐scenes look at Milbank’s microgrid, which manages the company’s wind and solar‐powered Milbank National Training Center in Kansas City, Mo. More than 200 engineering and utility professionals are expected to attend the conference, which is produced by Active Communications International.

Milbank began its research and development efforts in the microgrid arena in 2011. The result is an energy management platform that is set to redefine long‐standing electrical industry paradigms about the movement and management of energy. The solution, known as SynapSuite, has been deployed on several high‐profile beta sites including the Mid‐West Energy Research Consortium (M‐WERC) and the National Association of Home Builder’s New American Home. More recently, the system was selected to manage Solar Village, a microgrid demonstration site and living laboratory at Missouri University of Science & Technology (MS&T) in Rolla, Mo.

“Microgrids are made possible by the integration of a highly sophisticated controller that serves as theconductor of the electrical symphony of generation, consumption, and storage solutions. Microgridcontrollers convert seemingly random energy movement into an amazing harmony of electricity flow that is both reliable and economical,” said Lavon Winkler, president and CEO of Milbank, in a press release. “With distributed energy generation and storage becoming an increasingly important consideration in addressing the world's energy needs, the full capabilities of these technologies will only be realizedthrough the sophisticated management of electricity flow—both generation and consumption— via amicrogrid.”

"Our commitment to microgrid research and development has been driven by the desire to be more than just a spectator in the evolution of the energy management industry. We want to play a part in defining and shaping the future of distributed energy and microgrids, both in the U.S. and abroad,” Winkler said. "I believe the future of distributed energy generation and its deployment in microgrids is now. No longer are these merely concepts to be debated. Microgrids are a reality and an important component in addressing energy management problems worldwide,” Winkler said.