RENEWABLE MICROGRIDS: PROFILES FROM ISLANDS AND REMOTE COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE GLOBE

The document examines the transition of isolated communities from a total dependence on imported oil to renewable microgrids. It identifies high electricity costs, environmental concerns, and abundant local resources as primary drivers for this shift. Through ten detailed case studies—including locations such as Kodiak, Alaska, and El Hierro, Spain—the report highlights the critical role of energy storage (batteries, flywheels, and pumped hydro) and energy efficiency in maintaining grid stability. Key findings indicate that renewable integration can significantly reduce retail electricity rates and improve system resiliency, though it often requires a phased technical approach to overcome stability and logistical challenges.

• Islands and remote communities are disproportionately dependent on oil for electricity, leading to high retail prices and vulnerability to supply interruptions. For example, average residential electricity rates in most Caribbean nations are at least three times higher than the U.S. average of 12.5 cents per kilowatt-hour.
• The primary drivers for transitioning to renewable microgrids are economic costs, environmental considerations, and the availability of abundant local resources, with wind energy typically providing the largest addition to the energy mix (often greater than 20 percent).
• Integrating renewables into isolated grids presents three main challenges: grid stability, the logistical difficulties of remote locations, and complex administrative or bureaucratic requirements for funding.
• Energy storage is essential for high renewable penetration. While renewables can often be integrated up to 10 to 15 percent without operational issues, penetrations above 20 percent typically require energy storage, demand response, or curtailment.
• Renewable transitions have demonstrated measurable economic benefits, such as reducing diesel fuel use by 1.4 million liters per year in the Falkland Islands, which contributed to a residential rate decrease from $0.42/kWh to $0.30/kWh since 2007.
• Energy efficiency is identified as a critical but often underutilized starting point for transitions, particularly on islands where space for generation technology is limited.

APA

Bunker, K., Doig, S., Hawley, K., & Morris, J. (2015). RENEWABLE MICROGRIDS: PROFILES FROM ISLANDS AND REMOTE COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE GLOBE. RMI. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/04/Islands_RenewableMicrogrids_Report_2015.pdf

Chicago

Bunker, Kaitlyn, Stephen Doig, Kate Hawley, and Jesse Morris. RENEWABLE MICROGRIDS: PROFILES FROM ISLANDS AND REMOTE COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE GLOBE. RMI, 2015. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/04/Islands_RenewableMicrogrids_Report_2015.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Bunker |first1=Kaitlyn |last2=Doig |first2=Stephen |last3=Hawley |first3=Kate |last4=Morris |first4=Jesse |title=RENEWABLE MICROGRIDS: PROFILES FROM ISLANDS AND REMOTE COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE GLOBE |publisher=RMI |date=November 2015 |url=https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/04/Islands_RenewableMicrogrids_Report_2015.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{bunker2015renewable, author = {Bunker, Kaitlyn and Doig, Stephen and Hawley, Kate and Morris, Jesse}, title = {{RENEWABLE MICROGRIDS: PROFILES FROM ISLANDS AND REMOTE COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE GLOBE}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2015}, month = nov, url = {https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/04/Islands_RenewableMicrogrids_Report_2015.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }