Microgrids are small-scale electricity networks. As of late 2020, more than 1,600 microgrids were opening in the U.S., generating more than 11 gigawatts of electricity. The cost to set up a microgrid ranges from a few hundred dollars for small projects to millions for large microgrids to serve factories, campuses, or entire communities. Companies worldwide are making considerable strides in microgrid technology innovation, development, and expansion, making projects of all sizes possible. This blog features ten of those leaders.
1. AlphaStruxure
AlphaStruxure provides microgrid-enabled Energy as a Service (EaaS) to help companies achieve long-term outcomes on resilience, reliability, greenhouse gas reduction, and cost stability with no up-front CapEx. The company was established to take on large projects, such as the JFK modernization effort, to move the airport toward 100 percent renewable energy.
2. Anbaric
The North American transmission grid, built to connect fossil fuels and nuclear power, is over 100 years old. Shifting to renewable energy requires storage projects to deliver low-carbon energy to markets and boost transmission network flexibility. Anbaric, established in 2004, is considered one of the top microgrid-as-a-service companies in the world. They scale renewable energy by developing large-scale electric transmission and storage systems to strengthen the grid.
3. Bloom Energy
Bloom Energy promotes its “AlwaysON Microgrid Solution” as the 21st-century answer to long grid outages and extreme weather disruption. Their technology offers cost predictability to retailers, hospitals, and other businesses, with 5- to 20-year contracts and a small footprint.
Southern California Gas (SoCalGas) operates microgrids at two facilities using Bloom Energy solid oxide fuel cells. The microgrids cut greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and power costs while boosting reliability. Through power outages during the hot New York summers, Home Depot stores use Bloom Energy’s fuel cell microgrids to stay open.
4. BoxPower
BoxPower has two different turnkey microgrid solutions (one powered by solar only, the other solar and natural gas), plus associated storage products. Ideal for 5 kW to 250 kW projects, their storage systems can supply 24/7 affordable energy anywhere with a clean, cost-effective alternative to diesel generators or grid extension.
5. Eaton Corporation
Eaton Corporation is one of the world’s leading suppliers of power management technologies to provide maximum uptime and guard against power surges or outages. Their solution allows businesses such as data centers to use their systems as value-generating assets that can push or pull power from the grid. By integrating multiple distributed energy resources (DER) into a common structure, users gain a scalable and efficient solution to power loss while enhancing cybersecurity.
Eaton expects EVs to become major consumers of microgrid power by the middle of this decade for purposes including demand charge management, time of use (TOU) optimization, demand response, and frequency regulation.
6. Gridscape Solutions
With the prices of EVs and their batteries going down, it is becoming increasingly important for automakers and fleet owners to leverage EVs as a power source. The ability to discharge energy and charge EVs enables fleet owners to monetize their power.
Based in Fremont, California, Gridscape Solutions focuses on solar-powered-plus-storage microgrids and EV charging systems. They are the largest developer of small to mid-sized renewable energy microgrid solutions in California and operates almost a dozen microgrids for various municipal and commercial sites.
7. Saft/Go Electric
For over 100 years, Saft’s longer-lasting batteries and systems have provided critical safety applications, propulsion, and backup power. They are Total’s battery energy storage subsidiary, the French oil and gas conglomerate.
Saft acquired Go Electric, an Indiana-based startup specializing in renewable microgrid solutions, in 2021. The two companies continue to function as separate entities. To date, most of their microgrid projects have been for customers looking to cut costs on fuel and reduce emissions. Go Electric focuses on commercial and industrial customers, communities, and military bases. Saft provides storage for solar-diesel and wind-diesel hybrid microgrids used by mining companies and remote communities.
8. Siemens
Siemens focuses on producing microgrid clusters, which involve multiple microgrids operating in a defined area connected and optimized by a microgrid master controller. Their microgrid clusters’ bidirectional power flow feature allows Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) and the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) to buy and sell power to each other.
It provides a comprehensive variety of energy-efficient electrical solutions that help manage electrical, hydraulic, and mechanical power reliably, safely, and sustainably. Moreover, the company serves various markets, including residential, institutional, and commercial buildings, utilities, industrial facilities, data centers, oil and gas, mining, and machine original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
9. PowerSecure
PowerSecure microgrid system provides uninterrupted power at all times. Their solutions use a combination of redundant energy generation technologies featuring high-quality power generation and storage components, including:
- Natural gas engines or Tier 4 Final Diesel for continuous, 24/7 power generation
- Integrated solar photovoltaic (PV), hydropower, and fuel cell technology
- Distributed energy storage solutions that minimize the impact of intermittent solar power
10. Pareto Energy
Twenty-year-old Pareto Energy patented an off-the-shelf power electronics configuration (called the GridLink Non-Synchronous Interconnection Platform) that can more than triple microgrid financial returns. GridLink utilizes an always-islanded approach to eliminate the disadvantages of interconnecting microgrids with utility-owned electro-mechanical devices.
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