| Resource Type | Report |
| Author / Source | Hoffman, Cruz, Kerby, Siddiqui, Tan, De La Rosa (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, for the U.S. Army Reserve) |
| Publication Date | October 2025 |
| Location | United States |
| Initiative Type | Technology, Partnership |
| Project Complexity | Advanced |
| Recommended For | Board, Staff |
Estimated reading time: 30+ minutes
Why This Matters for Rural Electric Co-ops
Microgrids are gaining attention as a way to keep critical facilities and communities powered during extended outages. Though written for Army installation leaders, this handbook offers anyone a clear explanation of what a microgrid is, how it works, and what it takes to plan, build, and maintain one.
Boards and staff can use its planning steps and case study lessons to set realistic expectations on cost, staffing, and maintenance before committing capital or choosing a vendor. Co-ops serving a military installation will also see how the Army plans resilience projects, including contracts where the serving utility is a project partner.
Key Takeaways
| › | A microgrid has three defining features: distributed energy resources near the users it serves, the ability to island from the main grid, and a control system. |
| › | Nine microgrid types range from a single building to a shared system serving several properties or an isolated community. Knowing them helps co-ops match design to need. |
| › | The handbook notes consumer-owned utilities face member education and financial hurdles but can benefit from microgrids through lower transmission costs and stronger resilience. |
| › | Operations and maintenance should be planned during design, alongside battery fire protection and cybersecurity. The handbook's site survey and battery maintenance lists give staff a practical starting point. |
Implementation Considerations
- Cost or Funding Requirements: Microgrids are costly to build, and maintenance must be budgeted from the start because construction funding may not cover it. Regulators are still working out how to allocate costs fairly when only customers inside a microgrid benefit during an outage. Most of the financing section covers federal agency contracting tools that do not apply directly to co-op-owned projects.
- Staffing or Technology Requirements: Microgrids require specialized skills for design, protection studies, operation, and maintenance, and the handbook flags a shortage of qualified personnel. Smaller co-ops will likely need consultants, maintenance providers, or partnerships with their G&T or peer co-ops.
- Time-Sensitive Information: The U.S. microgrid count uses 2022 data. The report also gives two different counts of states with microgrid legislation (5 states plus Puerto Rico on page 10, 21 states plus Puerto Rico on page 44). References to a federal 2035 power sector decarbonization goal and federal disincentives for diesel generators may not reflect current federal policy.
Notable Examples
- Fort Hunter Liggett (U.S. Army Reserve): Multi-phase solar and battery microgrid whose lessons center on maintenance funding gaps, contractor oversight, and control system communication failures.
- Fort Carson (U.S. Army): Demonstration microgrid that became inoperable after its proprietary controls lost vendor support and no maintenance contract was in place.
- Marine Corps Air Station Miramar: Microgrid designed to run 21 days on on-site fuel that also earns demand response incentives through programs with San Diego Gas & Electric.
- Casa Pueblo: Puerto Rico's first community microgrid, a solar and storage project in Adjuntas serving 14 local businesses and expected to run 10 days in an outage.
- Wisconsin Office of Energy Innovation: Critical Infrastructure Microgrids and Community Resilience Centers pilot grant program that funded feasibility studies for 15 entities, including utilities and tribal governments.
- National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) and National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC): Joint framework helping state energy offices and utility commissions develop microgrid policies, programs, and regulations.
Estimated reading time: 30+ minutes
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