Microgrid industry development background

What factors drive microgrid development and deployment?

The factors driving microgrid development and deployment in locations with existing electrical grid infrastructure fall into three broad categories: Energy Security, Economic Benefits, and Clean Energy Integration, as described in Table 2, below. Table 2. Drivers of microgrid development and deployment.

Where are micro-grids developed?

Nowadays, both pilot and commercialized micro-grids have been developed in many countries and areas in the world. America first proposed the completed concept of micro-grid . The CERTS is main research organization of American micro-grid and supported from US Department of Energy and California Energy Commission.

Why are microgrids becoming more popular in the United States?

Microgrids have become increasingly popular in the United States. About 34% of the world’s microgrid projects are located in the United States and North America area -- drivers for this fast growth could include the country’s aging electricity megagrid and end-use customers’ increasing desire for greater security and reliability .

How many micro-grid projects are there around the world?

According to a new tracker report from Pike Research, more than 160 micro-grid projects are currently active around the world, with power generation capacity totaling more than 1.2 gigawatts (GW). However, China as the largest developing country with the fastest growing economy, micro-grid research and development is still in pilot stage.

What drives microgrid development?

The driving forces in microgrid development at the state and local levels include renewable energy requirements as reflected in renewable portfolio standards (RPS) in 29 states and Washington, DC; renewable portfolio goals in eight states; and increasing concerns regarding power system resilience due to growing extreme climate events [38, 39, 40].

What is a micro-grid?

There are different definitions for micro-grids. In 2011, Symposium on Micro-grids in Jeju of Korea, a micro-grid was defined as a group of interconnected loads and distributed energy resources within clearly defined electrical boundaries that acts as a single controllable entity with respect to the grid .