Localized power grids, sometimes sourced from renewable sources, can make energy systems more resilient and reliable.
Local microgrids are helping U.S. communities keep the lights on during power outages and facilitating the shift to renewable energy.
As Eric Krebs explains in an article for Reasons to be Cheerful, “Microgrids consist of generation devices along with management systems that control voltage and distribution of power. Their technology allows for cleaner, more efficient and more reliable power to buildings and communities in the event of greater grid failures.”
“According to the Department of Energy, there are some 1,100 active microgrid installations in the U.S., with new installations planned everywhere from Maine to Hawaii,” Krebs adds, generating over five million kilowatts. Meanwhile, even microgrids that can’t fully support their areas in the event of power failures make blackouts less likely by reducing pressure on the larger grid and providing stability.
FULL STORY: Green Microgrids Are Powering a More Resilient Future
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A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
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The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association