Distributed energy resources allow electricity to be generated closer to where it is used, protecting businesses and institutions from unexpected outages caused by natural disasters and other disruptions. The U.S. national laboratories as well as public-private partnerships provide financial resources and access to research facilities to foster innovations to modernize the power sector from a 100-year-old centralized system to one that incorporates disparate clean technologies such as microgrids, batteries, and energy smart tools. These investments and the resulting new products and capabilities decrease costs, improve grid reliability, reduce emissions, and offer consumers more options.
This series, Distributed Generation: Cleaner, Cheaper, Stronger, explores the evolving nature of the U.S. electric grid and the role of specific technologies in modernizing the power generating system. Check back regularly for new resources and in-depth analyses of the technologies and policies driving this transformation.