The Stone Edge Farm MicroGrid is a mile-long continuous power line that integrates distributed energy generation and storage resources with electrical loads in a network operating as a single entity with real-time monitoring and control.
The MicroGrid can operate connected or disconnected from the utility grid. When the system disconnects, or islands, it can continue to operate indefinitely on locally generated power.
Is the MicroGrid fully operational or a research and development experiment? The answer is yes. It is both. Universities are able to study a real-world operating system here, and promising new technologies can beta test. The MicroGrid operates for months off the grid, but reconnects with the utility for major operational changes or maintenance.