microgrid

noun

mi·​cro·​grid ˈmī-krō-ˌgrid 

variants or less commonly micro-grid

plural microgrids also micro-grids

: a small grid

The Logitech io Pen … only works when writing on special paper that's embedded with an invisible microgrid of tiny dots arranged like graph paper.

—Frank Bajak

especially : a local electrical grid (see grid sense 2a(3)) that can be connected to a larger network but that is also capable of operating independently

When the community fell dark after the storm, there remained all but one source of power: a solar microgrid operated by Casa Pueblo, an environmental nonprofit and community center.

—Greta Moran

Microgrids, with their own electricity-generating capacity, are a better bet. Most of these local grids are operated by private organisations such as military bases, industrial plants and universities, which need more dependable power …

—The Economist

The facility will be powered by a micro-grid with on-site solar panels, battery storage, auxiliary power and small vertical wind turbines …

—Delta County (Colorado) Independent

After the disaster knocked out power to much of eastern Japan, smart microgrid projects from industrial to residential changed their approach.

—Tam Harbert

Examples of microgrid in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Are there environmental risks with microgrids or the Ratepayer Pledge? —Neil Strebig, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 6 Mar. 2026

While microgrids were in operation in commercial and industrial settings, regulation meant that tenants living in apartments were restricted in their ability to switch energy suppliers. —Simmone Shah, Time, 3 Mar. 2026

Other expenses include transmission and distribution costs, as well as money spent to build clean energy projects such as microgrids, electric vehicle charging stations and battery storage facilities, with costs getting folded into rates. —Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Feb. 2026

In the 1970s, low-voltage DC found new life among off-grid enthusiasts, known as back-to-the-earthers, who wired cabins with 12-volt lighting and car batteries long before cleantech microgrids were in fashion. —Anna Demeo, Forbes.com, 26 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

micro- + grid

First Known Use

1939, in the meaning defined above