Africa Microgrids – The Africa microgrid market has both island and bottom up community microgrids.  Africa has many home solar systems that are in the early stages of being linked together and traded using mobile platforms.  Africa is the leading continent for mobile payments, and could leap-frog the utility grid in some places.  Efficient DC appliances are coming down in price to compliment home solar homes.

California Microgrid Market – California has an active microgrid market due to a large military presence and renewable energy targets.  Currently, microgrids are serving as demonstration projects for how California can shift to high levels of renewable energy using distributed energy resources (DERs).  California has leading institutions (UCSD) and trade groups (CalCharge) for energy storage.  Additionally, California is a leading market for grid integration with electric, and autonomous vehicles.

DC Microgrids – Direct current microgrids are combining inherently DC energy resources such as solar PV, energy storage/batteries, electric vehicles, and LED lighting to build an efficient network without converting to AC.  As more grid resources, especially Distributed Energy Resources go DC, the war of the currents has being revived.

India Microgrids – Microgrids in India are addressing areas that lack a grid connection, as well as areas that have inadequate utility grid performance.  It is not uncommon for electric grids in India to operate only a few hours each day.  India is already dependent on distributed generators to meet critical loads such as water pumping, and the cost of solar solutions is becoming cheaper.

Military Microgrid Market – As the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, the US military branches have each embraced renewable microgrids.  Remote military bases have always required autonomous power, which typically came from diesel fuel.  As solar-storage can increasingly be relied on to provide redundant, secure power the military is beginning to transition.