University of Missouri research finds renewable energy and agriculture can coexist without harming rural economies

Published on .

Utility-scale wind and solar projects provide rural economic gains without weakening local agricultural economies, according to a study released by the Center for Rural Energy Security (CRES), a rural focused think tank at the University of Missouri. The nationwide research report, “Powering Rural Prosperity: The Local Economic Impact of Utility-Scale Wind and Solar Developments,” puts data to a critical debate in rural communities across America: whether hosting renewable energy infrastructure harms local agriculture.

Read More

No Comments

Smart switches restore entire community in one second

Published on .

It was a sunny August morning in Lincoln County when power lines supplying the entire town of Moscow Mills suddenly lost power. While the outage impacted more than 2,300 customers, it largely went unnoticed by most. That's because smart switches installed by Ameren Missouri reacted to the outage nearly instantly, restoring power to all 2,300 customers in just one second. In the span of that one second, smart switches identified the loss of power, isolated the impacted section and opened a new pathway for power to flow to homes and businesses.

Read More

No Comments

Protecting your family and community: Safe generator use helps prevent re-energizing power lines

Published on .

An improperly connected generator can re-energize power lines and create a potentially deadly hazard for utility workers, first responders and the public. As more homeowners and businesses install backup power and customer-owned generation technologies, it is critical proper steps are taken to prevent electrical "backfeed," a dangerous condition that can occur when electricity from a customer-owned generator or solar system unexpectedly flows back onto power lines or electrical equipment.

Read More

No Comments

Power Profile: Dr. Michael Sykuta

Published on .

Energy policy is becoming more complex as electricity demand grows, new technologies emerge and utilities plan the investments needed to serve customers for decades to come. For economist Dr. Michael Sykuta, navigating those changes starts with good information. As director of both the University of Missouri’s Financial Research Institute and Center for Rural Energy Security, Sykuta works at the intersection of economics, utility regulation and energy policy.

Read More

No Comments
Archive