Microgrid Price Inquiry

What is a microgrid cost model?

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory was commissioned by the U.S. Department of Energy to complete a microgrid cost study and develop a microgrid cost model. The goal of this study is to elucidate the variables that have the highest impact on costs as well as potential areas for cost reduction. This study consists of two phases.

How much does a microgrid cost?

Or as S&C Electric’s David Chiesa puts it: “If you’ve seen one microgrid …you’ve seen one microgrid.” So there is no quick and simple price to give a prospective customer. Sources we’ve interviewed cite project proposals as low as $250,000 to as high as $100 million. Generation typically accounts for most of the cost.

What is the DOE's microgrid cost study?

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) microgrid cost study is identifying the costs of components, integration, and installation of U.S. microgrids; project cost improvements; and technical accelerators during the next 5 years and beyond.

What percentage of microgrid costs are soft costs?

Soft costs, which include interconnection, financing, engineering, procurement, and construction management, range from 0.4%–1.6% of total microgrid costs, as shown in Figure 24. Figure 25 shows the total percentage of soft costs in relation to total microgrid costs.

Which factors influence the cost of microgrids?

Several factors, including generation choice, battery size, and interconnection upgrades, influence the cost of microgrids. However, there are ways to manage these factors to ensure microgrid projects can move forward with satisfied customers, as discussed in the Microgrid 2021 conference session called “Why Does a Microgrid Cost What It Costs?”

Why is it difficult to generalize costs for Microgrid technology?

It is particularly challenging to generalize costs for microgrid technology because every installation has unique design and architecture characteristics that affect the overall cost of the individual microgrid components.