Municipal Microgrids

Discussion

"Whether through physical decline, natural catastrophe, or misguided malice, our grid is subject to increasing threats that can and will lead to more frequent failure. Meanwhile, our centralized architecture, which is largely based on hub-and-spoke generation and transmission, only adds to the brittleness of the system.

One solution to these emerging infrastructure challenges that have been receiving increased attention is the use of Microgrids: small, self-balancing networks that have the ability to fractally break apart from the larger grid for autonomous operation and then seamlessly recombine to function as part of the whole on demand. Such networks have a single point of common coupling to the grid, and include sources of generation (such as diesel and/or gas generators, distributed solar, and distributed wind resources), as well as electrical loads that can be managed in a coordinated manner. Demand response and energy efficiency -- and increasingly, storage and EVs -- often figure prominently in design and operation to flexibly manage supply and demand requirements on the microgrid.

Today, the United States has nearly 1,500 megawatts of generation operating in microgrids, but because such systems help to resolve reliability issues and enhance the performance of the larger grid, they also -- like distributed energy resources such as rooftop solar PV -- potentially threaten the traditional utility business model." (http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/microgrids-and-muncipalization-can-you-micro-municipalize-a-utility)