SolarCity, Inc. has unveiled GridLogic, a microgrid service that combines distributed energy resources—solar, batteries and controllable load—to enable a cleaner, more resilient and more affordable way of providing power. SolarCity's microgrid service ensures that any community anywhere in the world vulnerable to power outages and high energy costs—including remote or island communities, hospitals and military bases—can have dependable, clean power when the grid is down. GridLogic can operate either in conjunction with or independently of the utility grid.
In addition to expanding its served market, GridLogic is being launched to reduce SolarCity’s historic dependence on utility grids and regulatory bodies. The recent emergence of cost-effective battery storage systems for integration with PV installations has been cited as a key enabler of this new offering. As with all SolarCity products and services, GridLogic comes with affordable financing options, including payment programs with little to no upfront cost.
GridLogic can provide electricity to communities for less than they pay for utility power with the added benefit of backup power for emergency services. SolarCity's in-house grid engineering team will design and install each GridLogic project with a system of software-based monitoring and controls that manage the mix of distributed energy resources and utility power to maximize savings.
The first decade of the 21st century saw 3,496 natural disasters, nearly a fivefold increase over the 1970s. Severe weather events can cause prolonged power outages that cut off access to critical public resources—Hurricane Sandy alone caused more than 8.5 million power outages across 21 states. Communities around the world are seeking ways to continue to power critical resources and guarantee public safety and security in the aftermath of these events. GridLogic gives them a cleaner, more affordable way to do so.
