About Microgrids

Welcome to About Microgrids, a section of Microgrid Knowledge that defines microgrid terms and concepts to help readers understand the growing usefulness and popularity of this form of distributed energy.

Image credit Ariv Rai, Shutterstock.com

Nominations Open for the Microgrid Knowledge Greater Good Awards

Dec. 1, 2023
The awards recognize operational projects which serve a clear societal need and improve the human condition. Applications should demonstrate how these goals are being achieved...
Connecticut solar microgrid project. Image credit Schneider Electric
Connecticut Project

Who's Making the Grade (And Who's not)?: Think Microgrid's 2023 State Scorecard

Nov. 29, 2023
Across the nation, as studied by Think Microgrid’s policy team, only Connecticut, Colorado, Hawaii and Texas merited Bs in the State Scorecard. Most were handed Cs or Ds.
Image credit Nicole Green

DOE’s Jigar Shah: Microgrids Provide ‘Something for Everyone’

Nov. 17, 2023
The financial jury was out on microgrids until they began providing important benefits to residents, business and utilities, Shah pointed out.
Vietnam stock photos, Shutterstock.com

Putting Backbone into the Energy Journey: The Economics of Sustainability

Nov. 16, 2023
Some of the fruits of decarbonization are not as evident in the near term as they will be years down the road, Schneider Electric's Rohan Kelkar points out, but CFOs and sustainability...
Image credit Schneider Electric
Se Mary Microgrid

Accelerating the Adoption of Microgrids: Nov. 28 ET Webinar with Schneider Electric

Nov. 15, 2023
One reason for the interconnection delays and slow road from design to commissioning is the fact that the process is resource-intensive and often custom-engineered. Standardization...
Image credit Bloom Energy
Taylor Farms

Friday Thoughts from the Editor's Porch: Speeding up Interconnection and Making Food Production Cleaner, Energy-Wise

Nov. 10, 2023
Hurry up and wait, as the saying goes, may or may not have originated in the military, but it’s appropo to everyday life. Meet that deadline to file your taxes and send what you...
Image credit Ameresco
Ameresco

Editor's Take: Making the Grade and Committing to the Value of Microgrids

Nov. 3, 2023
The Think Microgrid report is not political, and the rankings of some states will surprise you. It’s the group’s goal to evenly evaluate where states are are. Meanwhile, the United...
Glen O'Dell
Solar panels on Oregon farm

Demand Response Aggregation Bans Partially Lifted in 2 States; 10 More to Go. Microgrids, DERs Benefit

Oct. 27, 2023
Relying on a public-private partnership, Missouri has partially lifted the state's ban preventing third-party aggregators from bidding demand response into wholesale markets. ...
Imagre credit PXiSE Energy Solutions
Pxise

MGK Editor's Take: Offering the FYI on AI as it Arrives ASAP

Oct. 9, 2023
Artificial intelligence is essentially an infant in the world of industrial technologies compared to internal combustion, power plants and manufacturing innovation. Yet it grows...
Valley Children's Hospital. Image credit Wikimedia Commons
Valley Children's

MGK Editor's Take 9/27: Energy Transition Matters Most for the Next Generation

Sept. 27, 2023
Perhaps the biggest thing to remember as we consider the “Many Paths to Net Zero” is that decarbonization is not simply a method to save Mother Earth, but also a way to leave ...

ICT Visionary Q&A with Allen Griser, Chief Commercial Officer at Clearfield

ICT Visionary Q&A with Allen Griser, Chief Commercial Officer, Clearfield

Video Interviews

Elisa Wood, editor in chief of Microgrid Knowledge, interviews Brian Kane, head of enterprise sales engineering for Bloom Energy, at Microgrid 2021

Microgrids bring sustainability and resiliency and serve as community lighthouses

May 28, 2021
Not only do microgrids help companies meet their sustainability and resiliency goals, but they also can serve as a community lighthouses during outages, says Brian Kane as part...

White Papers

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Optimizing Microgrid Systems: Integrating Renewable Energy Sources and Battery Storage

June 1, 2020
Download this white paper to learn how integrating renewable energy sources and battery storage can optimize a microgrid systems.