In December 2023, a heavy winter storm hit Highland Park, Michigan, and the ensuing power outage lasted four days – a common occurrence in the community, which has a high poverty rate.

Residents, who can’t afford generators or hotel rooms, must often grapple with outages that last up to a week, said Juan Shannon, CEO of the entertainment company Modern Tribe Communications.

Funding is the main obstacle for Shannon’s project to create a sustainable, clean energy village in Highland Park. Some progress has been made with solar installations and energy-efficient housing, but most community microgrids in the US face similar funding challenges. Some utilities are successfully implementing microgrids, but others are hindered by regulations and policies. Outside of the US, there are fewer obstacles to developing microgrids for low- to moderate-income communities. Projects have been funded by DOE, Entergy, and other organizations in areas such as Puerto Rico, Washington DC, and California.