Microgrids provide backup power during outages and can also be used to reduce costs. Microgrids allow communities to be more energy independent and are more environmentally friendly when powered with clean energy. When the grid goes down, buildings with solar plus storage disconnect (or “island”) from the grid to keep their own lights on by self-generating power.There are several applications of microgrids, from powering emergency response buildings to providing grid resilience for communities with a large population of people whose health would be put at risk by a prolonged power outage. In fact, one of the major benefits of a microgrid is that it can extend beyond a single house or building to create a tiny electricity-isolated island within a community. For example, a microgrid between a fire department, a school, and a senior center could provide benefits to first responders, an at-risk population, and a possible emergency shelter all within one interconnected and resilient microgrid system.