DOE Microgrid Systems program, portfolio and news
Microgrid Systems The Office of Electricity (OE) supports critical grid systems research to strengthen grid reliability and resilience, help mitigate grid disturbances, and take full advantage of all sources of affordable, reliable and secure energy, to accelerate our evolution into a more dependable future-ready grid. Increasing power demand, aging grid infrastructure, increasing frequencies of higher impact natural disasters, rising physical and cyber security attacks, and long lead times facing system upgrades, threaten the reliability, resilience, security and affordability of the nation’s grid. Power outages are becoming more common across the U.S., largely due to an increase in extreme weather events, and other causes such as transient instability associated with large dynamic load connections. Power outages obviously pose serious threats, especially in remote, electrically isolated communities, and in cases where they cut people off from critical services that impact their health and well-being. Grid systems, such as microgrids or networks of microgrids, provide strategic energy solutions via localized power systems that can operate in grid-connected modes, providing reliability services during normal and abnormal grid conditions, or in islanded modes, powering remote communities or commercial/industrial operations. An illustration of a sample microgrid showing diverse energy generation and battery energy storage. Sandia National Lab Microgrid Systems Research & Development (MSRD) Program DOE envisions that microgrids will become essential building blocks of the future electric grid, leveraging all sources of affordable, reliable, and secure energy. The mission of the program is thus to accelerate beneficial microgrid innovations that improve the reliability, resilience, security, and affordability of the U.S. electricity delivery system — advancing U.S. energy independence and dominance. A microgrid system represents a group of interconnected loads and local energy resources within clearly defined electrical boundaries that acts as a single controllable entity with respect to the grid. This technical definition essentially articulates three core attributes of microgrids: (1) they are controllable with respect to the grid, able to seamlessly transition between interacting with the main utility grid (“grid connected”) and operating independently (“islanded”) during power outages or emergencies; (2) they can leverage all localized sources of affordable, reliable and secure energy resources to meet local demand, while also providing grid support; and (3) they can function intelligently, using advanced controllers to orchestrate the balancing of local energy resources and demand, supporting grid interconnection requirements while optimizing power delivery to end-users. Microgrids are deployed across key sectors to bolster reliability and resilience during grid outages. As generation-agnostic systems, they enhance grid adaptability by integrating local energy resources. This localized generation reduces transmission losses and defers costly upgrades, driving down consumer costs and maximizing overall affordability. They also accelerate grid connection for large-load utility customers. However, adoption is limited by high upfront costs, complex design, and regulatory barriers. Furthermore, massive new loads like data centers require end-to-end innovation. Microgrids address this by spanning both domains; specifically, their front-of-the-meter applications directly support grid stability, while behind-the-meter controls intelligently optimize user power delivery in coordination with the broader utility grid. The program will advance practical solutions to overcome these challenges, directly improving grid reliability, resilience, security, and affordability. These strategic investments will transition microgrids from isolated backup systems into dynamic, interconnected energy ecosystems that provide critical stability to the wider electricity grid. Core Program Focus Areas The program will focus on developing and validating tools, methods, technologies, and solution resources across the following four core focus areas to achieve its mission: * Microgrid System Planning and Design This area focuses on developing next-generation software and hardware platforms for advanced feasibility, technical, and techno-economic analyses, validating prototypes, and supporting high-fidelity planning and design studies for advanced microgrid system development or deployment. * Secure Microgrid Operations This area involves creating advanced algorithms and protocols, responsibly leveraging AI/ML, to significantly improve real-time microgrid operation, protection, monitoring, automation, and control, enhancing grid reliability, resilience, security, and affordability. * Microgrid System Architectures This area aims to produce common configurations or standardized architectural frameworks that facilitate the cost-effective implementation of advanced, interoperable microgrid systems and technologies across various electric power grid and industry applications. * Accelerated Technology Adoption This area supports developing technical standards, best practices, and other information resources to foster industry conditions conducive to broader adoption of advanced microgrid technologies. Program activities will map to at least one of these focus areas. Learn about our program strategy at: Microgrid Program Strategy Additional Resources Over the years, the Microgrid program has supported major projects and initiatives, involving inter-office and/or cross agency collaboration, with reported outcomes aligning with top Administration priorities, where being responsive to current and evolving industry stakeholder needs. Below is a selection of key historical program resource references, including congressional reports and final project/initiative deliverables. Congressional Reports * FY 2025 Report To come soon Project and Initiatives Reports * Citadels Project The Citadels Final Report is the final project report for the Grid Modernization Laboratory Consortium (GMLC) Citadels project. The primary goal of this GMLC project was to increase the operational flexibility of power systems by engaging microgrids distributed using consensus algorithms * Energy Assurance Critical Infrastructure (EACI) Project, 2022 Energy Assurance Critical Infrastructure (EACI) Project, 2022: PNNL developed a method for the EACI project to provide conceptual-level stability predictions for islanded microgrids. * Artemis Lunar Microgrids Initiative Artemis Lunar Microgrids Initiative, 2022: In a collaboration to design a resilient microgrid for a lunar base camp, DOE’s Sandia National Laboratories and NASA engineers worked together to develop the system controllers. They designed the controllers for the mining and habitation microgrids while creating a connecting system to study joint power flow, securing overall microgrid resilience through flexible routing and strategic oversizing. News * Up to $3.5M Available to Strengthen Microgrids in Remote Regions May 12, 2026 * Applications Open for New Microgrid Support Services May 20, 2026 * U.S. Department of Energy Announces $8M for Microgrid Innovation June 2, 2025 * U.S. Department of Energy Launches Community Microgrid Assistance Partnership October 1, 2024 Blogs *+ Electricity Energy Additions and the Unique Role of Microgrids Learn More about Energy Additions and the Unique Role of Microgrids June 3, 2026 Why Microgrids are Essential Building Blocks in Future U.S. Electric Grid Learn More about Why Microgrids are Essential Building Blocks in Future U.S. Electric Grid Microgrids and Retail Electricity Costs: Practical Ways Microgrids Help Reduce Retail Costs Learn More about Microgrids and Retail Electricity Costs: Practical Ways Microgrids Help Reduce Retail Costs Microgrids, Large Electric Loads & Grid Support: How to Leverage Microgrids to Support Utilities and Large Load Customers Learn More about Microgrids, Large Electric Loads & Grid Support: How to Leverage Microgrids to Support Utilities and Large Load Customers + Nuclear How Microgrids Can Scale Value-Proposition of Nuclear Reactor-Based Generation Learn More about How Microgrids Can Scale Value-Proposition of Nuclear Reactor-Based Generation + Strengthening Grid Reliability and Security Power in the Storm: Capturing the Value of Microgrids Resilience Learn More about Power in the Storm: Capturing the Value of Microgrids Resilience June 2, 2026 + Tribal Energy Access + Energy Security New Microgrid Program to Help Underserved and Indigenous Communities Learn More about New Microgrid Program to Help Underserved and Indigenous Communities October 4, 2024 * OE Funds Microgrid Innovation to Fortify Remote Energy Systems Learn More about OE Funds Microgrid Innovation to Fortify Remote Energy Systems July 30, 2025 * Campus Microgrids with Modular Reactors Reduce Emissions Learn More about Campus Microgrids with Modular Reactors Reduce Emissions January 13, 2025 + Storage Microgrids Help Electrify Ports, Increase Reliability July 18, 2024