Owners of data centers and other facilities with large loads are increasingly talking to microgrid providers about building off-grid microgrids to ensure they have electricity when utilities are power-strapped or when utilities can’t provide interconnection in a timely manner.

But it’s likely these microgrids will become connected to the grid. When utilities have enough capacity and when interconnection challenges ease up, the industries could convert them to grid-connected systems that provide grid services. This would involve integrating controls and intelligence into the systems.

That’s the message from Elham Akhavan, senior microgrid research analyst at Wood Mackenzie, which provides industry research.

Akhavan will speak about microgrid trends at Microgrid 2024, which takes place April 22-24 in Baltimore, Maryland.