The Growing Case For Microgrids

More and more communities are slowly starting to invest in microgrids. According to the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, there are about 1.6 gigawatts (GW) of installed microgrid capacity out of 1,066 GW total capacity in the United States.

That number, however, continues to increase each year as more and more people see the benefits of this technology. That’s because while microgrids generally operate while connected to the grid, they can be disconnected and operate on their own using local energy generation in times of crisis like storms or power outages. It can also help to cut costs and help communities be more energy independent and, in some cases, more environmentally friendly.

The rise of microgrids is being driven by increased attention on climate change, as well as innovation in space. Today there is more and more microgrid software available that is helping to scale and enable microgrids to be used for the specific needs of the user. Today’s microgrid technology can help with everything from data visualization and load controls to vendor integration and energy storage. These solutions are built to work with commercial, industrial, military, agricultural, and municipal integrations.

As more and more communities and organizations begin to see the value of microgrids, the technology that drives it will become more and more important.