In modern electrical infrastructure like the US, microgrids usually operate connected to the utility grid except when they temporarily withdraw because the grid is down or because disconnecting offers price or energy management advantages.
But worldwide, many microgrids have no grid connection because, well, there is no grid, or at least none that is stable. Called remote or stand-alone microgrids, they are often found in rural India or Africa or on islands and far-flung outposts.
The arrival of a remote microgrid can dramatically change a community, especially for those that previously had no electricity or depended on diesel fuel generators for it.
Here are the stories of 5 remote microgrids and how they changed people’s lives, sometimes in unusual ways.