As demand for large-scale computing infrastructure ramps up, especially from cloud providers and AI-specialised data-centres, traditional power grids are struggling to keep pace. In response, companies and utilities across the U.S. are increasingly turning to microgrid systems — localised generation plus storage and load-management — that can operate either in sync with the main grid or independently.
According to data cited by Reuters Events, U.S. microgrid capacity stood at about 4.4 GW across 692 sites at the end of 2022; projections now suggest capacity could reach 10 GW by the end of 2025 as both commercial and community-scale projects multiply.
Notably, the push is being driven not only by desire for clean-energy or resilience, but by necessity: new data-centre builds can require hundreds of megawatts of capacity, and lead-times for utility-grid upgrades are long. That gap is opening an opportunity for companies to build behind-the-meter generation plus storage (or “islandable” microgrids) to ensure reliability and manage costs.
Key Highlights
• Microgrid capacity in the U.S. could reach 10 GW by end-2025, up from 4.4 GW in 2022.
• Big tech/data-centre operators are major drivers of new microgrid development as they demand high-quality, reliable power.
• Utilities and states (e.g., California, Texas, Colorado) are offering grants, incentives and regulatory support to expand microgrids.
• Traditional grid upgrades struggle to match data-centre growth pace — giving microgrids a competitive use-case.
Why This Matters
• The rise of microgrids signals a structural shift in how critical infrastructure (data-centres, AI farms, industrial parks) obtains power — less reliant solely on the main grid, more on flexible local generation and storage.
• For the energy sector, this trend could reshape investment flows: grid utilities, storage companies and microgrid integrators may see new demand sources outside conventional expansion projects.
• From a global innovation perspective, scalable microgrid deployment around data-infrastructure hubs could become a differentiator in where AI/data-centre clusters locate and how sustainably they operate.
• On the policy and regulatory front, the surge raises questions about permitting, grid-access rules, backup liabilities and how utilities will adjust to more localized, decoupled electricity loads.
Source
Reuters – Full Article
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