Today’s microgrids are the culmination of the energy improvements and innovation of the last 30 years. Consider what they include – most of clean energy’s most valuable technologies – renewables, combined heat and power, district energy, smart grid software and systems management, energy storage, energy efficiency and demand response. It’s easy to see why microgrids are attractive to business eco parks and other green-minded enterprises.

Perhaps most interesting, they can keep the lights on when the central grid goes down, as US microgrids so expertly proved during Superstorm Sandy. We all know how crucial reliable electricity is for an economy that runs on the Internet. That’s why the military, police, hospitals and supermarkets increasingly install microgrids. Sign up for the Microgrid Knowledge Podcast to stay on top of the latest microgrid trends.