What is a Microgrid?
Welcome to About Microgrids, a new section of Microgrid Knowledge that defines terms and concepts to help readers understand the growing usefulness and popularity of this form of distributed energy.
History tells us that disasters tend to spur new interest in microgrids. This pandemic is no exception, especially as COVID-19 puts increased strain on hospitals, data centers and delivery systems, making power outages unthinkable.
Will COVID-19 create a more permanent shift to work at home? What will that mean to household electric reliability? Are we about to witness the rise of residential microgrids? Here’s a look at the numbers.
Saying a tight schedule is driving up costs, Southern California Edison (SCE) yesterday canceled plans for pilot microgrids in 2020 and instead will re-seek them for 2021 and 2022.
In an era of bipartisan wrangling, microgrids are one thing US voters agree upon — at least once they understand them, according to a survey by the Civil Society Institute.
A recent segment of “60 Minutes” about the Rocky Mountain Institute’s (RMI) work in the Bahamas was “incredible exposure” for the microgrid movement globally.
Often, microgrid operators have the choice of either purchasing a fixed supply contract or playing in the market, but not both, said James McGinniss, CEO and co-founder, David Energy, a competitive retail electricity supplier.
Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) says it has temporarily suspended — but not canceled — a request for offers (RFO) issued in December for 20 microgrid projects.
With the US facing a potential five-fold ventilator shortage, microgrid company Bloom Energy has figured out a quick way to refurbish ventilators on behalf of the state of California.
Demand is likely to grow for solar and storage as COVID-19 increases the desire for energy self-reliance in Australia. At that the same time, a fall in the US and Australian dollar may increase system costs, reports Sophie Vorrath of One Step off the Grid.
Engie EPS sees microgrids and energy storage as key to its growth, but expects a short-term disruption because its manufacturing facilities are in Italy, which has been heavily hit by the coronavirus (COVID-19)

Trevor Gionet and Kay Aikin of Introspective Systems explain how flattening the COVID-19 curve is much like managing the grid with microgrids and demand response.
Here you’ll find microgrid 101 information. We define terms and explain concepts to help readers understand the growing usefulness and popularity of this form of distributed energy. We welcome you to send these article links to others who may want to learn more about microgrids.
Welcome to About Microgrids, a new section of Microgrid Knowledge that defines terms and concepts to help readers understand the growing usefulness and popularity of this form of distributed energy.
Microgrids serve industries, institutions, communities and other customers in a range of ways. Here we look at eight main microgrid benefits – from keeping the lights in a storm to lowering energy costs to improving community well-being.
While it may seem that microgrids are new, they have been around in some form for years, going back to Thomas Edison's Pearl Street Station. Here's a brief look at the history of microgrids in the US.

Jules Nohra, director of optimization services, Veolia North America, explains why microgrid projects need to start with energy monitoring and energy efficiency.
Today’s smart businesses are seeking ways to green their electric supply and leverage the increasingly favorable prices of renewable energy. Download the new paper from NRG that examines challenges within the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), and offers insight into an opportunity emerging out of the changing market and a simplified way to capture it, calibrated to various levels of risk tolerance.
