For the vast majority of people around the world, their electric power is delivered via a system that relies on centralized power generation coupled with significant transmission and distribution infrastructure to deliver electrical power from the site of generation to the point of use. That system has provided reliable and relatively inexpensive power to much of the world for well over a century. However, a new set of concerns and requirements point us towards an alternative approach to power generation and distribution. That alternative is microgrids. To many, microgrids appear as a new and novel idea. But, in reality the concept dates back to the origins of the electric industry. This old idea that is new again offers promise in terms of tackling some very real and very current energy issues, and promises to change the energy landscape of the future. Microgrid technologies offer real solutions to address the significant issues of (1) accessibility, (2) recovery, (3) resiliency, (4) economy and (5) sustainability.
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