Microgrids can be tailored to meet diverse needs of communities. One increasingly popular solution to this problem is the microgrid. Additionally, the high cost of electricity leaves many without power, even when it is available to access. In areas that suffer power outages in extreme weather, maintenance and repairs are difficult. Despite these successes, the reality is that many places still face energy challenges. Through the Kyoto Protocol, Paris Agreement, and 2019 Climate Action Summit, countries around the world have made progress toward strengthening global response to climate change. Global energy demand is forecasted to increase by 28% by 2040 however, there are currently 1.3 billion people in the world that do not have access to reliable electricity, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). The diagram pictured above shows one possible layout. Microgrids can be operated in many different configurations. Today, the product is currently being further developed under NaturEdGrid, a renewable energy startup aimed at renewable energy education and solutions in China.
With global solar and wind data available from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), relatively accurate efficiency and feasibility calculations are possible, even for remote, global areas. Upon visiting Hang Lai Village, I had the opportunity to work directly with the community members to develop a product that met their energy needs. After spending half a year developing sponsorships, interviewing residents, and building the technology with experts in the renewable energy sector, I realized that with careful research and testing, microgrids do wield the potential to solve energy challenges for certain communities, while meeting affordability, reliability, and performance requirements. For my senior capstone project at Stanford University, my team was tasked with researching appropriate energy solutions to assist with power outages in Hang Lai Village in Hunan, China. How could such a system be technically realizable in extreme climates, manufactured to meet the true needs of a community, and also meet affordability requirements? Then I began research into them. Their capacities range in scale, providing power from household to community level. Microgrids are localized grids that can operate independently from the grid. I was skeptical when I first heard about the potential of microgrids to solve challenges in global energy access.
DecemMicrogrids Have a Role in the Global Energy Transition, If They Can Lower Costs
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