Details coming soon!

Pre-registration required.  Cost of the course is $195.00.  Click here to register.
This 3-hour course will equip participants with foundational skills to design, analyze, and finance cost-effective, reliable, and sustainable microgrid systems through hands-on learning. Participants will work through interactive case studies and real-world applications using microgrid modeling and control software. These case studies will provide practical insights into managing diverse energy resources, optimizing energy dispatch and tariffs, and integrating technologies.

Presented by:

This session will explore how Cuyahoga Green Energy, a public utility formed by Cuyahoga Country, OH, is bypassing traditional distribution to deliver reliable, high-quality power directly from transmission via utility-scale microgrids. Featuring insights from their flagship Euclid industrial district project, panelists will share how the utility is using private capital, innovative public-private partnerships, and manufacturing-focused resilience strategies to reinvent municipal utility models.

This session will examine the economics of microgrid-enabled grid services, including:
• Peak demand reduction, resilience cost avoidance, and outage mitigation valuation
• Energy arbitrage, demand charge management, and load flexibility strategies
• The role of microgrids in providing frequency, capacity, and restoration support
• Compensation and market mechanisms for aggregated DER participation
• Conditions where microgrid operation lowers or increases system costs—and how to design for net benefit.

This session, facilitated by Direct Relief, will bring together perspectives from a Florida health center representative, project developer, and EPC partner. Together, the panel will explore how solar + battery microgrids can provide health centers with dependable, clean power and long-term resilience. 

Enjoy a networking lunch with peers and industry leaders.

This presentation will demonstrate a practical compliance pathway using integrated cogeneration microgrids with renewable integration. A comprehensive case study will illustrate how a port with severely limited grid capacity (3 MW) successfully meets substantial shore power demands (20 MW) through an optimized microgrid incorporating natural gas cogeneration, solar PV, and battery storage. The economic analysis reveals a significant 22% reduction in Levelized Cost of Energy compared to traditional onboard power generation, with additional 20% energy cost savings through thermal integration. The environmental assessment confirms substantial emissions reductions, with CO₂ decreasing from 32,500 tonnes to 20,702 tonnes annually.

The Cooperativa Hidroeléctrica de la Montaña — Puerto Rico's first electric cooperative — has recently launched the parallel development of ten community microgrids to support small businesses, community centers and residences in the rural communities of the central mountain range in Puerto Rico after signing a subrecipient agreement with the government of Puerto Rico. This project will provide lasting cost-effective resiliency for remote, last-of-line communities impacting the lives of tens of thousands of residents.

The presentation will describe the results from a field demonstration of this solution and includes descriptions of the control architecture, the results from both lab and field tests, and the cybersecurity implications.

The session will explore how WatsonX.ai and WatsonX.orchestrate have revolutionized how microgrids are not only managed, but can be independently run…..remotely.  How should we be thinking about what happens next??

Presented by:

A 10-MW microgrid in Denker, California was developed over one year ago. Since then, the partners have gathered important real- world insights into decentralized energy solutions for Class 8 battery electric (BEV) fleets.

This presentation also will share insight into the challenges, successes, and how this model can be replicated to accelerate fleet electrification across the heavy-duty trucking industry. 

This session will highlight successful projects at facilities for several California water utilities, discuss the importance of the state’s SGIP funding for making them possible, and highlight success stories – including how one microgrid enabled pumping stations to continue operating during grid shutoffs in the midst of the January 2025 wildfires in Southern California. This presentation will offer valuable insights into building a more resilient and sustainable water future for California and across the US.

This session will delve into the strategic vision, technical architecture, and operational execution behind Georgia Power’s collaboration with the U.S. military on resilient energy systems. Attendees will gain insight into how utility-scale solar assets are being integrated with microgrid infrastructure to support mission-critical operations, and explore key lessons from multi-agency coordination, phased implementation, and evolving utility roles in national energy security.

The session will explore how WatsonX.ai and WatsonX.orchestrate have revolutionized how microgrids are not only managed, but can be independently run…..remotely.  How should we be thinking about what happens next??

Presented by: 

Reenergize and fuel connections during MGK Conference PM beverage break. 

This session will discuss the key challenges that community leaders face as they aim to deploy renewable energy microgrids, including how the environment has changed with the new administration. This session also will explore the different projects that are under way including key learnings on business models, project finance, partnership strategies, and utility engagement.

This presentation will examine key lessons learned from implementing the new interconnection study process on a customer-owned BTM microgrid project, featuring insights from both Duke Energy's utility perspective and Siemens’ developer experience. These practical lessons are driving systematic improvements to both state jurisdictional interconnection procedures and Duke’s internal processes. 

Drawing from recent U.S. and international case studies, panelists will discuss design and anchoring strategies, electrical integration with microgrid controllers, and performance advantages in extreme weather. Attendees will gain practical insights into deployment models, financing mechanisms, and regulatory pathways that are shaping floating solar as the next frontier in clean, resilient microgrids.

This project will establish a model that can be adopted by other regions for cross-sector, community collaboration and the creation of infrastructure and planning networks in advance of disaster, while developing the economic prosperity and opportunities in a region. 

This presentation will detail the team’s progress to date and provide early techno-economic modeling of microgrid systems proposed at local schools.

This presentation will discuss lessons learned from the foundational challenges (timelines, standards, resources) of interconnecting the early utility-developed microgrids. It also will provide insight into the present-day challenges of scalability, including the uniqueness of each project and the strategic risks introduced by technical and non-technical variables.

Covington Water District stands out as a champion of sustainability through its innovative approach to energy management and resiliency. In partnership with McKinstry, the District has transformed traditional infrastructure by installing a micro-hydro turbine system that captures energy from water pressure, offsetting nearly 80% of the facility’s energy use. Building on this success, Covington Water District is now implementing a cutting-edge microgrid and battery storage system, enabling the campus to operate independently during utility outages and further reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

Reenergize and fuel connections during MGK Conference PM beverage break. 

Wood Mackenzie data shows that average lead times for gas turbine engines have surged by 262% from mid-2019 to mid-2025, with prices rising 67% over the same period. If this trend continues, equipment delays could rival the lengthy timelines of grid expansions—posing a major challenge for powering large loads. 

To address this, while tech giants and major data center developers are turning to off-grid solutions, microgrid developers are leveraging multi-asset orchestration to deliver faster, more resilient power.

Come one, come all—the exhibit hall is open! Relax and savor hors d’oeuvres and cocktails while connecting with peers and exhibitors as we celebrate the start of the conference.  

Start your day with breakfast and networking in the Exhibit Hall.

Enjoy a networking lunch with peers and industry leaders.

This panel explores how Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings (GEBs) are transforming the built environment by integrating distributed energy resources, smart controls, and flexible loads. Experts will discuss how GEBs support grid reliability, reduce carbon emissions, and enhance building resilience—especially in the face of rising energy costs and climate-related disruptions.

This session focuses on bridging the gap between modeling assumptions and real-world performance, addressing how systems can be dispatched and managed to maximize economic and resilience value over their lifecycle.

This panel will present the current status of networked microgrids and case study projects highlighting the goals, challenges and benefits of networking microgrids.

Reenergize and fuel connections during MGK Conference PM beverage break.

This presentation will share the accomplishments and challenges PG&E has experienced through the design and development of this microgrid, including communications system considerations, MIS scenarios, and operational logistics across the multiple stakeholders involved in its development and operation.

This presentation will explore how utility-driven microgrids are evolving from tactical emergency responses—such as wildfire-related Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS)—into strategic components of long-term utility planning.

This session will explore Colusa’s journey from a California-based tribally owned energy developer to a leader designing and delivering advanced energy solutions for sovereign nations, community infrastructures, and private industry.  It also will discuss the key energy requirements for modern data centers, including high-capacity generation, microgrid resiliency, and clean energy integration to meet sustainability mandates.

This presentation will examine the critical trade-offs in siting distribution-tied energy projects, highlighting the inherent tension between optimal grid-connected locations and ideal microgrid positioning. It will explore how proximity to substations creates distinct value propositions compared to end-of-feeder locations and discuss the operational challenges that emerge when these competing requirements must be balanced. 

This presentation will discuss new architecture that delivers scalable, redundant onsite generation capable of providing hundreds of megawatts with 99.999% reliability. Its multi-generator, gas-powered design is denser and more flexible than traditional diesel systems, avoids refueling challenges, and accelerates speed-to-power without long turbine waiting times. This approach transforms backup power into a dynamic, grid-supportive asset—an essential strategy for an AI-driven, energy-constrained future.

Financing remains one of the most significant barriers to widespread microgrid adoption. This session addresses the investment side of microgrid development, exploring financing structures, risk allocation strategies, and contract models that support scalable and repeatable deployment.

By clarifying how utilities define “value,” participants will gain insight into how microgrid proposals can be structured for strategic alignment, financial justification, and approval.

Enjoy cocktails and appetizers as you network with the exhibitors and enjoy some fellowship with your Microgrid peers.