The European and U.S. power grids are both experiencing tremendous transformations in form and function. When it comes to microgrid adoption, however, the gap in progress is almost as wide as, well, the Atlantic Ocean.

Microgrid adoption in the U.S. has sailed past 10 GW of total installed capacity in recent years and is progressing at an accelerating pace. Major islandable microgrid projects are underway or recently completed in Maryland, Illinois, Michigan, Texas, California, Puerto Rico and Hawaii, among others.

Europe is certainly stepping up its integration of utility-scale renewable and distributed energy resources (DERs) in response to higher macro energy prices. However, the momentum of interconnected microgrids is not moving forward quite as fast as in the U.S., noted Gregorio Ogliaro, a managing director and transmission and distribution lead for consulting giant Accenture’s utilities business.

Research data from Guidehouse Insights (then Navigant) several years ago estimated that Europe contained less than 10% of the world’s microgrid power capacity, compared to some 33% in the U.S. and 40% in the Asia Pacific region. The focus on European Union-supported microgrids may be intensifying under climate and security pressures (such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine), but the pace is more like a country drive than Formula One.