ABSTRACT
Chapter 1 provides a brief introduction to microgrids. It provides answers to the fundamental questions energy managers and other professionals want to know about the basics of microgrids. What are microgrids? When and why are they needed? They are often seen as solutions to improve electrical system resiliency and disaster response, and to reduce costs. How is this accomplished? This chapter begins by discussing the differences between conventional electrical power delivery systems and microgrids. The chapter provides definitions of microgrids and identifies the basic types of microgrids and the fundamental differences in microgrid types. Distributed energy resources are defined, standalone generation systems are described, and a typical microgrid configuration is provided. It describes what microgrids are and details the basics of how they work. An overview of the benefits of microgrids and their disadvantages is offered.
