{"id":13787,"date":"2020-05-08T18:25:22","date_gmt":"2020-05-08T18:25:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/?p=13787"},"modified":"2020-09-09T13:09:16","modified_gmt":"2020-09-09T13:09:16","slug":"the-rise-of-solar-microgrids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/the-rise-of-solar-microgrids\/","title":{"rendered":"The Rise of Solar Microgrids"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"13787\" class=\"elementor elementor-13787\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-88f08f2 lead-section elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"88f08f2\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2e9b627\" data-id=\"2e9b627\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5a8449f article-title elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"5a8449f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Rise of Solar Microgrids<\/h1>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-59e4205 toc-and-author-bio-section elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"59e4205\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-a76fab4 left-column\" data-id=\"a76fab4\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-963be9d table-of-contents elementor-widget elementor-widget-shortcode\" data-id=\"963be9d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"shortcode.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-shortcode\"><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_55 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Page Contents<\/p>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/the-rise-of-solar-microgrids\/#What-is-a-Microgrid\" title=\"What is a Microgrid?\">What is a Microgrid?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/the-rise-of-solar-microgrids\/#Why-Solar-Microgrids-are-a-Great-Proposition\" title=\"Why Solar Microgrids are a Great Proposition\">Why Solar Microgrids are a Great Proposition<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/the-rise-of-solar-microgrids\/#The-Beginning-of-Change\" title=\"The Beginning of Change\">The Beginning of Change<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/the-rise-of-solar-microgrids\/#The-Near-Future\" title=\"The Near Future\">The Near Future<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-ca3eec6 right-column\" data-id=\"ca3eec6\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d091abe author-bio elementor-widget elementor-widget-shortcode\" data-id=\"d091abe\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"shortcode.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-shortcode\"><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t{\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\/\",\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t  \"@type\": \"Person\",\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t  \"name\": \"Aniket\",\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t  \"url\": \"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/author\/aniket\/\",\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t  \"image\": \"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/324fd7f9d0b3e667f7223919e56f046a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t  \"jobTitle\": \"Author\"  \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/script><p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"author-bio-avatar\" src=\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/324fd7f9d0b3e667f7223919e56f046a?s=50&amp;d=mm&amp;r=g\" alt=\"Aniket\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" \/><\/p><p class=\"author-bio-text\"><span class=\"written-by-text\">Written by<\/span> <span class=\"job-title\">qualified solar engineer<\/span> <span class=\"author-name\">Aniket<\/span><span class=\"written-by-period\">.<\/span> <span class=\"last-updated-text\">Last updated:<\/span> <time datetime=\"2020-09-09 13:09:16\">September 9, 2020<\/time><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4caed31 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4caed31\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b3770e9\" data-id=\"b3770e9\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5ff3f74 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5ff3f74\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Solar Microgrids are certain to rise in popularity in the coming years. Societies are expanding beyond cities, and the financials look better with community grids rather than traditional long-distance grids. Another important factor is that existing grid infrastructure continues to become outdated and inefficient. As well, microgrids present themselves as a great solution to power outages.<\/p>\n<p>Besides the above advantages, microgrids based on reliable and renewable components such as solar photovoltaic technology can help to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels and the subsequent emissions of greenhouse gases. This will result in communities that are energy independent, secure and environmentally conscious<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What-is-a-Microgrid\"><\/span>What is a Microgrid?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>A microgrid can be defined as a system of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nrel.gov\/docs\/fy19osti\/72102.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Distributed Energy Resources<\/a> (DERs), as well as groups of loads that can operate within a definite electrical boundary. The concept of microgrids isn\u2019t new, and isn\u2019t just exclusive to solar power.<\/p>\n<p>For many years amid cities, there are buildings that use diesel generators as backup microgrids in the absence of grid power. However, the dependency on only one other type of fossil fuel and the potential to emit large amounts of CO2 renders diesel generators mostly undesirable.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why-Solar-Microgrids-are-a-Great-Proposition\"><\/span>Why Solar Microgrids are a Great Proposition<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3>Unavailability of the conventional grid:<\/h3>\n<p>Imagine a remote village where an electricity grid doesn\u2019t exist, and the nearest electricity distribution or generation point is significantly far away.<\/p>\n<p>The traditional option was to build transmission lines the whole way to the village, which incurred huge manufacturing and transport costs to install the towers and cables. Not to mention the recurring costs of generating and consuming the electricity that comes from coal or other unclean sources.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/graph-on-the-cost-of-installation-of-transmission-lines.webp 620w,https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/graph-on-the-cost-of-installation-of-transmission-lines-300x137.webp 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img src=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/graph-on-the-cost-of-installation-of-transmission-lines.jpg\" height=\"283\" width=\"620\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/graph-on-the-cost-of-installation-of-transmission-lines.jpg 620w, https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/graph-on-the-cost-of-installation-of-transmission-lines-300x137.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13805 sp-no-webp\" alt=\"graph on the cost of installation of transmission lines\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"  > <\/picture><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">Cost of installing transmission lines (Source \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/sites\/prod\/files\/2017\/01\/f34\/Electricity%20Distribution%20System%20Baseline%20Report.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">U.S. Department of Energy<\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Building a power plant near to or in the village to eliminate the grid infrastructure cost for the initial investment to make sense was never practical, due to the required size of the power plant. Operating diesel-generated power on-site also raised the question of the availability of diesel.<\/p>\n<h3>Fighting Power Outages<\/h3>\n<p>What\u2019s interesting is that solar microgrids are not only useful in remote locations devoid of grid infrastructure. Even in urban areas with existing grids, microgrids bring several benefits. A solar microgrid in conjunction with a conventional grid, for example, can provide a secure source of energy in the event of a power outage caused by a natural calamity or technical failure. Power outages can cause a large amount of financial loss. For example, 2017\u2019s Hurricane Harvey cost the USA a staggering 125 billion dollars.<\/p>\n<h3>Flexibility and Cost Savings<\/h3>\n<p>Solar energy is likely the most flexible source of energy in terms of size, able to power anything from a wristwatch to an entire town.<\/p>\n<p>If that&#8217;s not enough, solar PV now has a far cheaper cost over its lifespan and is proved to <a href=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/how-much-money-do-solar-panels-save\/\">save thousands of dollars<\/a> over the years when compared to fossil-based energy. Additionally, solar PV systems demand far less maintenance than their fossil-based counterparts, saving time and money over multiple decades.<\/p>\n<h3>Environmental Attribute<\/h3>\n<p>Besides the local advantages of cost savings and energy independence, opting for a solar microgrid also reduces vast amounts of GHG emissions that would otherwise degrade the atmosphere. For every MWh generated, a solar microgrid can prevent over <a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/energy\/greenhouse-gases-equivalencies-calculator-calculations-and-references\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">1500 pounds of CO<sub>2<\/sub><\/a> from being emitted.<\/p>\n<h3>Degradation of the Existing Grid<\/h3>\n<p>As mentioned previously, the grid infrastructure that exists today in the US and in many parts of the world was built decades ago, when the use of electricity spread rapidly in and around the cities. Today, a large portion of the grid is outdated and requires frequent maintenance, including expensive equipment replacement. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.infrastructurereportcard.org\/cat-item\/energy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)<\/a> has given a concerning rating of D+ to the current electrical infrastructure in the US. It has been found that the value of the current grid stands at 1-2 trillion dollars, and replacing it entirely would cost a whopping $5 trillion. According to most experts, it is wise to invest this money into smarter, more sustainable technologies such as solar microgrids, rather than replacing the current grid system.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The-Beginning-of-Change\"><\/span>The Beginning of Change<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Until the end 20th century, solar microgrids were theoretical concepts that were not implemented on a respectable scale in any community. In the last few years however, for aforementioned reasons, such microgrids are picking up the pace. Here are some noteworthy examples of recent times:<\/p>\n<h3>Alabama Smart Neighborhood<\/h3>\n<p><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/image-of-alabama-microgrid-source-us-department-of-energy.webp 720w,https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/image-of-alabama-microgrid-source-us-department-of-energy-300x154.webp 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img src=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/image-of-alabama-microgrid-source-us-department-of-energy.jpg\" height=\"370\" width=\"720\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/image-of-alabama-microgrid-source-us-department-of-energy.jpg 720w, https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/image-of-alabama-microgrid-source-us-department-of-energy-300x154.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13804 sp-no-webp\" alt=\"image of (alabama microgrid (source - us department of energy)\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"  > <\/picture><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">Alabama Microgrid (Source \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/betterbuildingssolutioncenter.energy.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/Grid-Modernization.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">U.S. Department of Energy<\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Completed in 2018, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/sites\/prod\/files\/2017\/01\/f34\/Electricity%20Distribution%20System%20Baseline%20Report.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Alabama Power\u2019s Smart Neighborhood<\/a> has 62 high-performance connected homes in a community microgrid. It employs a 330-kW solar PV system, together with a 360-kW natural gas generator and batteries to store the energy.<\/p>\n<h3>Brooklyn Microgrid<\/h3>\n<p>Brooklyn\u2019s 1400-kW solar microgrid is interesting in the aspect that it uses a Blockchain-based transaction system. The excess energy generated by Brooklyn\u2019s solar panels can be sold to users in NYC who would like to purchase clean, renewable energy.<\/p>\n<p><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Brooklyn-solar-microgrid.webp 620w,https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Brooklyn-solar-microgrid-300x112.webp 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img src=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Brooklyn-solar-microgrid.jpg\" height=\"231\" width=\"620\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Brooklyn-solar-microgrid.jpg 620w, https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Brooklyn-solar-microgrid-300x112.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13816 sp-no-webp\" alt=\"Brooklyn solar microgrid\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"  > <\/picture><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">Brooklyn solar microgrid (Source \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/B9780081022078000102\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Science Direct<\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Borrego Springs Microgrid<\/h3>\n<p><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/image-of-borrego-springs-solar-plant.webp 720w,https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/image-of-borrego-springs-solar-plant-300x141.webp 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img src=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/image-of-borrego-springs-solar-plant.jpg\" height=\"338\" width=\"720\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/image-of-borrego-springs-solar-plant.jpg 720w, https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/image-of-borrego-springs-solar-plant-300x141.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13803 sp-no-webp\" alt=\"image of borrego springs solar plant\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"  > <\/picture><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">Borrego Springs Solar Plant (Source \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/insideclimatenews.org\/news\/04122017\/microgrid-emergency-power-backup-renewable-energy-cities-electric-grid\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Inside Climate News<\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Borrego\u2019s population of a few thousand residents is powered by a smart grid. Similar to the above examples, it is connected to the main grid but primarily uses its own energy generated from solar PV, wind and fuel cells.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The-Near-Future\"><\/span>The Near Future<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>With every year that passes, the focus on microgrids increases. In a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hitachi.com\/rev\/archive\/2017\/r2017_05\/Global\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Global Innovation Report<\/a> by Hitachi America, the fastest growing microgrid markets were examined. It was predicted that worldwide, there will be 7,500MW of capacity and a US$35,000 million market for microgrids by 2024.<\/p>\n<p>The US Department of Energy has a \u2018Microgrid Initiative\u2019 which, according to their publication, states that the &#8216;Smart Grid R&amp;D Program considers microgrids as a key building block for a Smart Grid and has established microgrid R&amp;D as a key focus area.<\/p>\n<p>To summarize, it is safe to say that traditional grids will gradually be replaced by smarter, cleaner and more sustainable microgrids. These new microgrids will not only solve several conventional grid problems such as losses, power outages and new infrastructure costs; but will greatly enhance community living.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-adaee28 references-section elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"adaee28\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-fae992a\" data-id=\"fae992a\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-63ba581 references-heading elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"63ba581\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">References<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2c63eaf references elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2c63eaf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ol>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nrel.gov\/docs\/fy18osti\/70122.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Microgrid-Ready Solar PV &#8211; Planning for Resiliency<\/a> &#8211; NREL<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.brooklyn.energy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Brooklyn Microgrid<\/a> &#8211; Brooklyn Energy<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/sites\/prod\/files\/2017\/01\/f34\/Electricity%20Distribution%20System%20Baseline%20Report.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Electricity Distribution System Baseline Report<\/a> &#8211; U.S. Department of Energy<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nrel.gov\/docs\/fy18osti\/70033.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Resilient Renewable Energy Microgrids<\/a> &#8211; National Renewable Energy Laboratory<\/li>\n<\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-513533f post-rating-section elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"513533f\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-72f6be6\" data-id=\"72f6be6\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f32531a post-rating elementor-widget elementor-widget-shortcode\" data-id=\"f32531a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"shortcode.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-shortcode\"><!-- Rate my Post Plugin --><div  class=\"rmp-widgets-container rmp-wp-plugin rmp-main-container js-rmp-widgets-container js-rmp-widgets-container--13787 \"  data-post-id=\"13787\">    <!-- Rating widget -->  <div class=\"rmp-rating-widget js-rmp-rating-widget\">          <p class=\"rmp-heading rmp-heading--title\">        We hope you liked this article. 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Societies are expanding beyond cities, and the financials look better with community grids rather than traditional long-distance grids. Another important factor is that existing grid infrastructure continues to become outdated and inefficient. As well, microgrids present themselves as &hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"> <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/the-rise-of-solar-microgrids\/\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">The Rise of Solar Microgrids<\/span> Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":13796,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"right-sidebar","site-content-layout":"plain-container","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"default","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"","_glsr_average":0,"_glsr_ranking":0,"_glsr_reviews":0},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The Rise of Solar Microgrids - ecotality.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/the-rise-of-solar-microgrids\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Rise of Solar Microgrids - ecotality.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Rise of Solar Microgrids Solar Microgrids are certain to rise in popularity in the coming years. 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