The Role of Microgrids in Enhancing Energy Resilience

In the UK, the move to a green energy future has revolved around large-scale approaches such as offshore wind generation and new nuclear power. While these are relevant today, there is escalating interest in an alternative and more localised energy approach, which is microgrids. Microgrids are a very effective and more resilient way of providing an aspect of energy resilience, and offer assurance to individuals and businesses with respect to their ongoing power supply in the extremely low likelihood of a grid failure occurring. 

Microgrids are a small-scale, self-contained energy system, with the capability to not be connected or reliant upon the National Grid. This is a smart and modern approach to power that may particularly thrive through the current climate of uncertainty and increase in energy demand. 

What is a Microgrid? 

A microgrid is simply defined as a local energy grid that includes local energy sources, local storage, and a defined boundary. A microgrid can be connected to the main electricity grid but can separate from the grid and function normally for a limited time in "island mode." 

A microgrid usually combines local energy production (like solar panels, small wind turbines, or Combined Heat and Power (CHP) systems) with some form of energy storage system (like a battery). There is smart control that can manage the energy flow within the microgrid, balancing the supply and demand, to create a reliable energy supply for a specific area such as a university campus, a hospital, an industrial park, or a small community. 

If the national grid has a fault (either from a storm or from a technical failure), the microgrid can disconnect and power its local customers immediately. 

Did you know? 

Microgrids can automatically disconnect from the main grid and run on their own; this is called “islanding mode.” 

Why Are Microgrids Important for the UK? 

The energy system in the UK is currently undergoing a massive transformation. With an increasing reliance on renewables such as wind and solar that are inherently intermittent, it is becoming increasingly complex to provide grid stability. At the same time, extreme weather related to climate change will increasingly threaten our current centralised model of energy generation. Microgrids present interesting solutions, which are discussed below: 

1. Enhanced Security 

The main advantage of a microgrid is its ability to produce reliable energy. For hospitals, data centres, and emergency response centres, which have power as a base layer in the operation of these services, that level of resilience is a necessity. This materialises in happening to those life-critical systems, whether that is to a patient in the hospital, a family member seeking to talk to the patient, or care workers looking for data or reports. or some aspect of data, such as when the next emergency vehicle or resources will arrive. 

 2. Supporting the Growth of Renewable Energy 

Microgrids are unusually well-suited to meet the need for local renewable energy sources. A community could be producing its own local clean power from solar panels on the roof, or sharing power that the excess capacity was being stored in a community battery and accessed on-demand at night or peak usage. These features would decrease reliance on fossil fuels and carbon emissions, thereby leading to greater ownership of local power. 

3. Improving Stability 

Microgrids can lessen demand on the national grid, especially during the winter months when demand is at its peak, as the community develops a local power supply from its own resources. Principles of microgrid operations may even provide services back to the grid for added stability, such as assisting with frequency balancing or providing some capacity for support, all of which will increase efficiency or minimise costs for the whole system. 

Trivia 

What was one of the first modern microgrids used for? In California, Santa Rita Jail was one of the first and most recognised modern microgrids. Built in 2012, Santa Rita Jail was designed to provide uninterrupted and dependable electricity to support the facility’s high-security operations in the event of a grid outage. 

Leading Microgrid Projects Across the UK 

While the concept is still developing in the UK, some innovative projects are already showing the promise that microgrids can offer. For instance, the Orkney Islands are now a globally recognised "living laboratory" for renewable energy, using a smart grid and storage to manage their significant wind and tidal generation. Moreover, universities and industrial sites are developing their own microgrids to provide energy security and affordable. Also beginning to see property developers and local authorities express more interest in microgrids as part of new housing and urban regeneration developers' project designs, as of the 2025 housing target, which will further protect the most vulnerable, aiming to develop more resilient and sustainable communities from the ground up. 

In the future, we could see multiple microgrids interconnected across the region, working towards a more flexible, decentralised and resilient energy system for all.