A smarter electric infrastructure is being imagined for the nation. One key technology supporting a smarter electric grid is the microgrid, which is a localized version of the electric grid which can detach from primary electric systems. Microgrids provide facilities with the ability to sustain energy independent of the larger electrical grid. According to the report “Power Systems of the Future: Making the Case for Energy Storage, Distributed Generation and Microgrids,” microgrid deployments will grow in the next five years. The report discusses the benefits of microgrids, industries where deployments are poised for growth, as well as major factors that contribute to the development of a smart grid.
Conducted in November by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (
IEEE) and research firm
Zpryme, the study surveyed nearly 500 smart grid executives on energy storage, distributed generations and microgrids. The full report can be downloaded
here (registration required). Here are some of the report’s highlights.
microgrids-infographic.jpg
Noelle Knell is the executive editor for e.Republic, responsible for setting the overall direction for e.Republic’s editorial platforms, including Government Technology, Governing, Industry Insider, Emergency Management and the Center for Digital Education. She has been with e.Republic since 2011, and has decades of writing, editing and leadership experience. A California native, Noelle has worked in both state and local government, and is a graduate of the University of California, Davis, with majors in political science and American history.
