Australia definition of microgrid

What is a microgrid?

The Victorian Government is supporting and developing microgrids. A microgrid can be thought of as a small ‘subset’ of the electricity grid that provides energy generation and storage at a local level.

What is a Victorian microgrid?

The Victorian Government is supporting and developing microgrids. A microgrid can be thought of as a small ‘subset’ of the electricity grid that provides energy generation and storage at a local level. They can incorporate renewable energy generation (for example, from solar panels or wind turbines) as well as battery energy storage.

What is a microgrid in Australia?

A microgrid can therefore be a small number of houses with solar panels, or a small-scale solar farm with community interest. While microgrids are used predominantly in remote and regional locations across Australia, essential services and even military facilities are often supported by backup diesel-powered emergency microgrids.

Can a microgrid work in isolation from the main electricity grid?

In general though, a microgrid must be capable of working in isolation from the main electricity grid. Nowadays, a microgrid should reliably integrate, coordinate and optimise various local energy resources, such as solar panels, diesel, batteries and other forms of storage.

What is new in a microgrid?

What is new, is the ready availability of renewable energy sources. There is no internationally agreed definition of what a microgrid is, or even its size. In general though, a microgrid must be capable of working in isolation from the main electricity grid.

Is a standalone system a microgrid?

Some question whether a standalone system is a microgrid or just a smaller grid – a minigrid or remote grid. Microgrids may utilise existing grid infrastructure or be physically separate from the grid. The dynamic exchange of services and value within a microgrid, and across the points of interconnection between a microgrid and the main grid, vary.