As we continue to move to clean, renewable energy, not only will microgrids replace the generation of energy with dirty fossil fuels, they will mean we can replace unsightly substations and transmission wires.

In case you don’t know what a microgrid is – it’s the combination of a renewable energy source like solar with a storage device like a battery. And microgrids help replace the generation of electricity from dirty fossil fuels, but it also helps do something else. In the long term, it will help make ugly electric substations obsolete, along with many of the power lines that add to the visual blight in our country.

In the early days of our country, progress was measured by the stringing of electric wires to connect everyone. It signified that a community was modern. Today, communities are modern if the utilities are underground and there are no visible wires, and soon, the ultimate measure of a modern community will be one in which all the electricity is generated cleanly from renewable sources.

Let’s not forget that in addition to saving people money and helping the environment, Renova and other solar companies are also helping to make our communities more attractive places to live. It’s just another example of the difference we’re making every day for today and the future.