Distributed Energy Resources (DERs)

A locally controlled energy system that integrates distributed generation, energy storage, and loads — and can operate both connected to the main utility grid and independently (islanded). A residential microgrid is the application of this architecture to a private property. The defining characteristic of a microgrid is intelligent, coordinated control: components don't just coexist, they are actively managed as a unified system. This is what distinguishes a true microgrid from a generator + battery installed at the same address.

Solar panels that convert sunlight directly into DC electricity. In a microgrid, solar PV is one generation source managed by the microgrid controller — typically the primary source during daylight, charging batteries and supplying loads directly. Solar can be grid-tied (exporting excess), battery-coupled (charging storage), or both. Solar output is variable by weather and season; microgrid design accounts for seasonal variation, particularly in northern latitudes.

The total amount of energy a battery system can store, measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh). A home drawing 10 kW continuously would deplete a 13.5 kWh battery in approximately 81 minutes. Whole-home microgrid systems for large estates typically require 40–200+ kWh of storage to provide meaningful outage duration before generator activation.