In the wake of the "true dark-age type environment" created when Hurricane Sandy's floods left Hoboken, New Jersey, largely without power, the city is planning to build a microgrid—an electricity system independent of the utility. Microgrids provide efficient and renewable energy and power mission-critical buildings and services in the event of a power outage.
Watch to learn how microgrids work and why Hoboken's public-private partnership will serve as a model for other cities.
For more research and recommendations on microgrids and other energy solutions, check out The Pew Charitable Trusts' clean energy initiative: http://www.pewtrusts.org/cleanenergy