Brooklyn Microgrid: Prototyping self-contained & renewable energy grids

In the United States, we remain over-reliant on fossil-fuel and non-renewable energy sources. These sources are one of the primary contributors to climate change. With new emerging technologies, personally owned solar panels on one's roof can now be connected with other solar panels in the nearby vicinity to create a self-sustaining micro-grid.

Community microgrids present a new approach to community energy management where those in a geographic area (in this case, piloting is happening in Brooklyn) combine energy they create from renewable sources (e.g., solar) to achieve a sustainable, secure, and cost-effective energy system in their areas. These “microgrids” can also run separately from the larger electric grid during extreme weather events or other emergencies, providing the backbone for resilient, sustainable and more efficient energy production of the future. ​ Brooklyn Microgrid is trying to create a large, self-sustaining microgrid in the heart of Brooklyn to illustrate to utility companies the demand that exists for decentralized power networks that rely most heavily on renewable energy sources. Since their establishment in 2016, Brooklyn Microgrid has signed up hundreds of people to their network, and their hoping to scale out their operation even further. They recently launched their Make Brooklyn Local campaign which they hope will bring more awareness and will to their efforts.

Brooklyn Microgrid