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As more and more customers express interest in solar plus storage on EnergySage''s Marketplace, many do so with the same intended purpose: resiliency. When the grid goes dark, these solar shoppers want to ensure they are on an electric "island" to keep their own lights on, self-generating and storing solar electricity they can consume. The solution? Microgrids.
Partially in response to major storm events nationwide, this innovative, if not new, approach is being taken throughout the country to maintain greater reliability and to return power quicker at the local level. By taking the notion of an electrical island from a single home to multiple buildings or an entire community, communities, cities, and organizations are creating microgrids.
A microgrid is exactly what it sounds like: a compressed version of the larger electrical grid that powers our country. The electrical grid exists to supply our electricity demand, ensuring the two are balanced and connecting electrical supply to electrical demand with the transmission and distribution system. In practice, a microgrid works in the exact same way, just for a smaller geographic area, like a couple of buildings or a local community.
To meet the electricity demands of its users, a microgrid must have a generation source. Given that microgrids are an older concept, the electricity supplied to microgrids has historically been from "behind the meter" fossil fuel generators - gas-powered generators, for example. However, with the falling cost of solar, not to mention the environmental benefits of switching from fossil fuel generation to solar power, many of the microgrids being designed today supply electricity with a combination of solar plus battery storage.
Microgrids can become electrically isolated from the grid in the event of an outage. When the grid goes down due to anything from a severe weather event to a knocked over telephone pole, you need to be disconnected from the grid–or "islanded"–in order to continue to produce and use electricity. As such, one key feature of a microgrid is its ability to continue operating even when the larger grid goes out.
When Hurricane Maria tore through Puerto Rico in 2017, causing the longest power outage in U.S. history, a lot of press coverage soon after the storm focused on the need to get electricity to hospitals and emergency responders. This turns out to be an ideal use case for a microgrid.
The impact of losing electricity varies widely depending on who or what is losing power. If an individual home loses electricity for a few hours, it might be a nuisance, but it is far from life-threatening. However, a loss of electricity at a hospital is absolutely a life-threatening scenario. Between a higher electric load and an often spread out geographical footprint, it makes sense to create an interconnected network of solar panels and storage to continue to power these types of buildings in the event of an outage. In a word: a microgrid.
Microgrids are already operational and under development in the U.S. to improve resiliency for different communities. Though different in their individual designs and applications, these microgrids share one thing in common: the goal of increasing resiliency.
For instance, in Puerto Rico, a number of solar microgrids have begun to pop up in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, with a solar microgrid in Humano keeping the lights on during a grid outage a full year after the hurricane hit. Similarly, in California, fire departments are beginning to deploy microgrid technology following 2018''s deadly and costly forest fire season.
Moving forward, microgrids built on solar + storage look set to expand even more rapidly as a part of local, state, and federal climate action plans. The U.S. military already deploys microgrids on military bases throughout the country for strategic purposes, and the Department of Defense is actively implementing renewable-based microgrids on bases. What''s more, individual cities are including microgrids in their climate action plans, such as Boston''s call for neighborhood networks.
Even if your community is not part of a microgrid, you can take the first step towards improving your own resiliency to major storm events by investing in an islanded solar plus storage system. The EnergySage Marketplace allows you to comparison shop across up to seven free quotes from local, pre-screened solar companies.
Solar microgrids are a hot topic in the world of solar energy. And for good reason. As the world''s appetite for renewable energy grows in response to more advanced tech, difficulties accessing fossil fuels, and mounting concerns about climate change, solar is booming .
Most solar systems, both residential and commercial, are linked to the main grid, but this isn''t the only way that you can harness solar energy. For many, solar microgrids may be a better option, helping you build energy independence and enjoy greater energy reliability. But what is a solar microgrid?
There are many reasons to start using solar, both for residential users and for businesses. In this article, we explore the basics of solar microgrids, how they work, the benefits they offer, and what you can expect to pay to join one.
A microgrid is an integrated system, or network, that is used to collect/create energy and then store and distribute it across other areas of the grid. Microgrids are separate from large centralized energy grids but are not necessarily low in power capacity as the name might suggest. Generally, they are used in areas where there is no power grid, where there is unstable access to a grid, or in a place of special importance that cannot abide potential power outages. They are not a new concept, and are commonly used to manage the energy produced by fossil fuels.
A typical solar microgrid consists of a group of solar panels in a central location (otherwise known as a "hub"). These panels collect solar energy, which is converted to a usable form and either stored using batteries or distributed to other locations linked to the microgrid.
Microgrids are most often found in rural or isolated areas where it is difficult or economically unviable to expand larger grid infrastructure. For example, an isolated mountain community may use a microgrid to ensure access to energy for everyone.
Microgrids not only allow remote and isolated areas to enjoy the benefits of being connected to a larger grid, but they can also make energy access more reliable in the case of wide-scale outages caused by weather or other unexpected events. This makes them useful even in populated areas, for instance in city hospitals and schools. Even homeowners in urban areas can benefit, as by setting up their own solar microgrids they can build energy independence from the grid, gain control over energy usage, and reduce energy bills long-term.
Solar power set-ups come in different forms. Most commonly, solar panels are used to collect solar energy and are connected to a major grid. For example, most residential solar set-ups operate in this way, enabling the solar panels to feed or draw from the main grid dynamically depending on energy collection and usage levels. In order to operate independently of the main grid, the individual home would need extra equipment like a battery and a specialized solar microgrid inverter.
A solar microgrid is an integrated, independent network that can operate completely separately from the main grid. So, while all solar microgrids are supplied by solar, not all solar energy is linked to a microgrid.
However, many microgrids are linked to main grids as well as having the capability to operate independently, and they can be either connected or disconnected at will depending on the circumstances. This can further improve reliability and has been very helpful in helping to maintain energy supplies after unforeseen events, such as earthquakes, where a major grid has been damaged.
About Microgrid solar system
As the photovoltaic (PV) industry continues to evolve, advancements in Microgrid solar system have become critical to optimizing the utilization of renewable energy sources. From innovative battery technologies to intelligent energy management systems, these solutions are transforming the way we store and distribute solar-generated electricity.
When you're looking for the latest and most efficient Microgrid solar system for your PV project, our website offers a comprehensive selection of cutting-edge products designed to meet your specific requirements. Whether you're a renewable energy developer, utility company, or commercial enterprise looking to reduce your carbon footprint, we have the solutions to help you harness the full potential of solar energy.
By interacting with our online customer service, you'll gain a deep understanding of the various Microgrid solar system featured in our extensive catalog, such as high-efficiency storage batteries and intelligent energy management systems, and how they work together to provide a stable and reliable power supply for your PV projects.
