Microgrids

- Microgrids as a Building Block for Future Grids

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is developing a strategy to make microgrids an "important part" of future power delivery, with the aim of eventually developing a microgrid roadmap.

A new study suggests that microgrids will evolve into a "fundamental component" of the 21st century power grid. Primarily used to ensure reliability and access for military and other critical applications, microgrids have become a niche interest in recent years for utilities and communities looking to bring more renewable energy online and improve resilience to extreme weather. Despite the increased popularity, microgrids (islandable generation and distribution networks) are still a small part of the U.S. energy system, accounting for only a fraction of total U.S. electricity generation.  

Electric grids are shifting from passive grids to active grids. “You can actually do distributed generation based on renewable resources (solar, wind, and power storage), and the power not only flows from the utility to the customer, but now from the customer back to the utility.  

Microgrids help manage these reverse currents by addressing the technical challenges of voltage and frequency changes. That's why NEMA looks to a future where microgrids play a fundamental role in how the wider power system operates, working in tandem with the existing power structure.