Military facilities have long used microgrids for energy security, with the U.S. Army aiming to install a microgrid in all its bases by 2035. Now, microgrids are being adopted across industries such as healthcare and data centres where power outages create critical situations or have a steep business cost.

“When the power goes out, our clients lose money and the welfare of our communities is threatened,” says Mackenzie. “Microgrids are one of the best tools we have to ensure the continuity of our businesses in a more volatile climate and future-proof our infrastructure for the electrification of our economy.”

For example, airports, which face millions of dollars in lost revenue when power disruptions bring operations to a halt, are now recognizing the value of microgrids. Take New York City’s JFK airport, where a planned microgrid on the New Terminal One will be the largest rooftop solar array in the city. It aims to minimize the impact of power disruptions by generating clean onsite energy that will keep the terminal functioning through grid outages and stabilize utility costs.

Falling implementation costs will continue to drive demand across other industries, with the highest forecasted growth in the commercial and industrial sector. In the U.S., the Inflation Reduction Act offers tax credits and grants for microgrid installations, spurring growth across industries.

Local incentive and grant programs are also driving growth. For example, the California Energy Commission’s Advanced Solar Emergency Microgrids Grant partially funded the installation of microgrids at eight municipal facilities in San Diego to provide energy resilience for the city’s emergency response services and support the city’s longer-term goal to run on 100% renewable power by 2035.

From community resilience hubs to mid-sized hospital to university campuses to large manufacturing and industrial zones, microgrids are poised to become a common feature of tomorrow’s built environment.

“The model for power and energy infrastructure is undergoing a transformation to a decentralized state where consumers play a more active role in securing sustainable, cost effective, and resilient energy,” says Mackenzie.

Down the line, microgrids will integrate clean fuels such as green hydrogen, longer-duration energy storage and other new energy technologies that will help cement the transition underway.

“The beauty of a microgrid is that it’s shaped to the unique needs of a community and is inherently scalable,” says Mackenzie. “By incorporating various sources of energy, microgrids will continue to evolve with the most advanced carbon-free technologies.”

“As corporations make bold sustainability commitments and climate change impacts the bottom line, there is a growing need to invest in energy infrastructure that supports corporate goals and the operational needs of our businesses. Microgrids are key to building a carbon free and resilient future.”