The plummeting cost of renewable energy sources such as photovoltaic solar and wind has, not surprisingly, prompted more individuals and businesses to rely on them.

However, this growing use of renewables poses challenges for the electric grid. The variable nature of photovoltaic solar and wind can damage grid components and cause power outages if the grid is unable to adequately manage the increasingly dominant power fluctuations that occur when a cloud blocks the sun or the wind stops blowing.