Estimating the Potential for Microgrids and Electricity Sharing in the United States

Cheap solar panels have enabled the rapid expansion of distributed solar energy resources, and therefore many people are rethinking the size and architecture of the electrical grid. Utilities and the U.S. DOE have become interested in microgrids, because the capability to ‘island’ areas and resources selectively can enhance the resilience of the overall grid. David Hsu, in collaboration with Rachel (Jiang) Lou and Google, plans to use the Google Project Sunroof data to research the potential for microgrids and electricity sharing among residential rooftop installations.