What is a Microgrid?
A microgrid is a small, self-contained island of electrical power generation, storage, and distribution that serves a particular area, such as a university campus, hospital complex, business center, or neighborhood community.
Microgrids contain one or more types of distributed power generation, such as:
- Solar panels
- Wind turbines
- Combined heat and power systems
- Traditional generators
Intelligent Microgrid Controller
Most microgrids contain energy storage, typically from batteries. Some also have electric vehicle charging stations.
One of the most important advances in microgrids has been the continuous improvement of the control software. The latest microgrid controllers, such as the Tesla Microgrid Controller, use a range of analytical tools including machine learning and artificial intelligence to optimize the microgrid to achieve the customer’s objective with little or no intervention.
Why invest in the installation of microgrids?
Resiliency
If your business or home is in a remote location and receives poor quality electrical service, with many power outages or insufficient power, a microgrid can mitigate or eliminate these outages.
Grid-connected microgrids are designed to provide more robust standby power, intended to deliver power during a prolonged grid outage. This is particularly useful for essential services such as schools, hospitals and government buildings, as well as for businesses where the cost of downtime is high.
Advanced Efficiency
Smarter grid-connected microgrids leverage advanced technologies to optimize different generation sources, including wind, solar, and generators, along with the grid to offer customers the lowest combined cost of energy possible.
These systems are programmed with your utility rate and use its advanced algorithm to avoid consuming energy from the grid during high-cost periods or by allowing large usage spikes that create additional costs for some users
Business flexibility
In some parts of Central America, disconnection from the national grid via a microgrid can allow you to explore interesting energy models that are difficult or impossible to create when it comes to laws or regulations that restrict what can be done on the National grid. For example, the creation of a community microgrid with unique commercial agreements between partners can be explored; Or, one can seek to achieve 100% renewable energy consumption in countries with no net metering or restricted net metering.
