The Microgrid Resources Coalition (MRC) was formed in 2014 to provide policy advocacy and drive regulatory reform to advance greater deployment of microgrids. By providing power when the grid is down and energy savings when the grid is operating, microgrids meet their hosts’ needs for enhanced reliability, energy savings and reduced emissions. By responding flexibly to the needs of the grid, they deliver energy, capacity, and ancillary services that improve the reliability of the bulk power system and the efficiency of energy markets. The MRC advocates for policy and regulatory reforms that recognize and appropriately value these services, while assuring non-discriminatory access to the grid for a wide variety of microgrid configurations and business models.
Members of the MRC represent a coalition of diverse interests including microgrid owners, operators, developers, equipment providers and suppliers, engineering and controls specialists, technology integrators, utilities and investors who are engaged in policy advocacy and regulatory reform at a federal, regional, state and local level. Many IDEA members have been operating highly reliable and resilient energy systems that integrate production of electricity and thermal energy through combined heat and power (CHP). In 2016, IDEA assumed operation of the Microgrid Resources Coalition.