Smart Microgrids Nurture Major Technological Innovation

Microgrids represent the most consumer-friendly and lowest cost bail-out plan for our aging electricity infrastructure. They allow us to “smarten” the grid one piece at a time. Local control over the power infrastructure makes a new business model possible — one in which entrepreneurs and their technologies are invited to participate in an open, competitive market. In addition, because microgrids can be built to optimal scale for its users — whether it is a single building or an entire community — networks of microgrids can be established that provide tailored power service at the best price to each consumer. As a result, for the first time, consumers would have control over the price they pay for electricity, while the electricity producers would have a market-driven incentive — competition — to increase the affordability, efficiency and reliability of our power.