Microgrid Standards and Technologies

Microgrids are intentional islands formed at a facility or in an electrical distribution system that contain at least one distributed energy resource and associated loads. Microgrids that operate both electrical generation and loads in a coordinated manner can offer benefits to the customer and the local utility. The loads and energy sources in a microgrid can be disconnected from and reconnected to the utility system with minimal disruption, thereby improving reliability. Any time a microgrid is implemented in an electrical distribution system, it must be well planned to avoid problems. This paper discusses current microgrid technologies and standards that are being developed to address implementation of microgrids.