Executive summary In the early 20th century, the centralization of electricity production made huge pro- gress, enabling significant economies of scale and improved power plant efficiency. Today, decentralization could help tackle the energy challenges of the 21st century by creating an optimized way to access reliable, green, and resilient energy. Microgrids are the emerging energy eco- system that provides practical answers through a local, interconnected energy system within clearly defined electrical boundaries, which incorporate loads, de- centralized energy resources, battery stor- age, and control capabilities