microgrid
Neighborhood power island
A microgrid is a small-scale electrical grid that can operate independently or connect to the main power network.
Microgrids typically serve a limited area—a campus, military base, or neighborhood—and often incorporate renewable energy sources like solar panels or wind turbines.
They provide resilience during outages: When the hurricane knocked out power, the hospital's microgrid kept operating.
Allocation across recipients
- transformerVoltage-altering electrical device
- switchgearCircuit control equipment
- inverterChanges DC to AC
- controllerDevice directing a system
circuit-breaker · substation · interconnection · metering · wiring · cables · panel · junction
Of the star
- windAir current outdoors
- batteryPortable electricity storage
- photovoltaicLight-to-electricity converting
- turbineBlade-driven energy converter
cogeneration · biomass · hydroelectric · geothermal · genset · biofuel
Institutional grounds and buildings
- hospitalMedical treatment facility
- universityHigher education institution
- villageSmall rural community
- neighborhoodResidential area nearby
tribal · municipal · commercial · residential · cooperative · peer-to-peer · local · district
Consistent, predictable performance
- backupStored duplicate for recovery
- blackoutComplete power loss
- redundancyNeedless duplication
- continuityUninterrupted progression or coherence
survivability · restoration · uninterruptible · failover · weatherproof · hurricane · wildfire
Surrounded, set apart
- standaloneComplete without attachments
- self-sufficientAble to provide independently
- decentralizedLacking single authority
- self-containedWhole without external parts
isolated · disconnected · self-reliant · self-powered · unplugged · autarky · sovereign
Thousand watts of power
- megawattMillion-watt unit
- capacityMaximum amount containable
- loadCarried weight or burden
- demandForceful request or requirement
sizing · modular · scalable · expandable · small-scale · distributed · localized · compact
Organizing and directing resources
- optimizationMaximizing efficiency or performance
- monitoringOngoing observation of something
- automationSelf-operating system design
- predictiveRelating to forecasts
real-time · software · algorithms · sensors · cybersecurity · communication · protocols · dispatch
distribution
Allocation across recipients
- transformerVoltage-altering electrical device
- switchgearCircuit control equipment
- inverterChanges DC to AC
controller · circuit-breaker · substation · interconnection · metering · wiring · cables · panel · junction · conduit
solar
Of the star
- windAir current outdoors
- batteryPortable electricity storage
- photovoltaicLight-to-electricity converting
turbine · cogeneration · biomass · hydroelectric · geothermal · genset · biofuel
campus
Institutional grounds and buildings
- hospitalMedical treatment facility
- universityHigher education institution
- villageSmall rural community
neighborhood · tribal · municipal · commercial · residential · cooperative · peer-to-peer · local · district
reliability
Consistent, predictable performance
- backupStored duplicate for recovery
- blackoutComplete power loss
- redundancyNeedless duplication
continuity · survivability · restoration · uninterruptible · failover · weatherproof · hurricane · wildfire
islanded
Surrounded, set apart
- standaloneComplete without attachments
- self-sufficientAble to provide independently
- decentralizedLacking single authority
self-contained · isolated · disconnected · self-reliant · self-powered · unplugged · autarky · sovereign
kilowatt
Thousand watts of power
demand · sizing · modular · scalable · expandable · small-scale · distributed · localized · compact · portable
management
Organizing and directing resources
- optimizationMaximizing efficiency or performance
- monitoringOngoing observation of something
- automationSelf-operating system design
predictive · real-time · software · algorithms · sensors · cybersecurity · communication · protocols · dispatch
- green energywind power, solar power, renewables, solar farm, solar panel
- energy systemspower plant, electricity, generators, solar power, wind power
- electrical gridpower grids, power line, power lines, transmission lines, transmission line
- Micromicrobe, microbes, microchip, microchips, microscope
- power gridpower plant, transformers, power station, transmission lines, power line
- power gridstransformer, substation, substations, transmission lines, power lines
microgridnational grid
Nationwide electrical distribution network
power grid · supergrid · electrical grid · wide-area network