Microgrids Can Bolster Creaky Electricity Systems, But Most States Do Little to Encourage Their Development
By Dan Gearino
An August wildfire cut off electricity to Del Norte County, California. Residents might have been in the dark for weeks—except for the use of a makeshift microgrid that generated power locally.
Related Knowledge Center: ENERGY BASICS: electricity
Electricity is a secondary energy source: it is generated through the conversion of primary energy sources such as natural gas, coal, solar, hydropower, and wind. Electricity’s versatility is not cost-free: a substantial amount of energy is lost in its generation and the cost of storage is high, compared with fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas. The economics of battery technology hold the key to expanded use of renewable sources to generate electricity.