WEATHERING THE STORM: LEVERAGING DATADRIVEN RESILIENCY SOLUTIONS TO PROTECT CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE

As climate change intensifies, the vulnerability of our electrical grid to extreme weather events is becoming increasingly evident.

- ALLAN SCHURR

From shifting tornado patterns to more frequent winter storms in unexpected regions, the impact on electrical reliability is undeniable. But the solution to these challenges goes beyond a simple investment in backup generation to ensure continuity for businesses and critical infrastructure. To truly achieve resiliency, one needs to understand how various solutions perform before, during and after backup power is needed. In other words, businesses must ask, are the results from any investment actually meeting expectations for eliminating the impact from power outages?

Weather patterns across the globe are undergoing significant transformations, and they are reshaping the landscape of electrical resiliency. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has observed a notable shift in tornado activity, with tornado alley gradually expanding further eastward. Additionally, regions traditionally spared from harsh winters—from California and Texas to the Northeast—have been experiencing more frequent and severe storms year-round, exacerbating the strain on the grid infrastructure.

One of the consequences of these changing weather patterns is an escalation in power outages for critical infrastructure that can disrupt business operations, incur significant financial losses, and even endanger lives. For example, large load facilities like data centers may be structurally resilient to storms, but they can face operational challenges that compromise their functionality and data integrity when the grid fails to deliver the power they require. As a result, backup power has become essential. And with a growing recognition of the need for enhanced resiliency strategies, microgrid backup power systems are emerging as a key solution.