Micro grids appear to be increasingly popular.
In the Netherlands, one small residential community near Amsterdam powered up its experimental micro grid last month. Twenty-five homes make joint use of hybrid heat pumps, solar panels, wind turbines, a gas turbine and cogeneration units, all without replying on the commercial electrical grid.
Ft Hunter Liggett in California is building a micro grid of its own. The grid, announced last month, will reply on a 6.3-acre solar farm and provide emergency power to the base, in addition to revenue by selling excess electricity to utilities on normal days. The micro grid connects solar lighting and security fencing.
Among the most advanced micro grids is the University of California's at San Diego, where turbines and solar panel produce 80 percent of the school's power.
Projects are underway as well at Drexel University in Philadelphia and the Brooklyn Army Terminal in New York City. Among the most ambitious and technically advanced projects in the world is a micro grid in operation – though still evolving – at the University of California in San Diego.
The 450-building campus with 45,000 students generates 80 percent of its power from two 13.5 MW gas turbines, a 3 MW steam turbine and 1.2 MW of solar cells. For heating and air conditioning, the university relies on a 3.8 million gallon thermal energy storage tank and three chillers, driven by the turbines, which burn cleaner than standard power plants.
On Tuesday, EDSA and Viridity Energy said they would collaborate to develop a real-time software system to help control and manage the micro grid. The system is to improve efficiency and reliability while eventually enabling the university to sell power on the open market.
Micro grids, such as the one in San Diego, are likely to play a key role in the evolution of nationwide smart grids. They could become prototypes for cities of the future – maybe 20 years from now.
Posted by Mark Boslet 
