ABSTRACT
Chapter 9 considers local and regional microgrids. What causes communities and local organizations to consider a microgrid? Drivers include the desire for an independent power supply, the need to lower electricity costs, or the desire improve resiliency. The ability to introduce renewable energy generation to meet sustainability goals is also cited. This chapter discusses community microgrids, campus microgrids, industrial microgrids, and military microgrids. It provides examples and case studies along with real-world microgrid applications. Case examples of microgrids that are considered include those serving Kodiak Island in Alaska, Borrego Springs in California, and Long Island in New York. Virtual power plants, a special class of microgrids, are defined and discussed. They typically aggregate supply side resources, and often use a diverse pool of renewable distributed energy generation and wholesale renewable energy sources.
