TIME

A small-scale power solution could pay big dividends across the U.S.

A custom microgrid powered the electric race cars at the Formula E event in Brooklyn in July

THE BROOKLYN WATERFRONT HAD ALL THE TRAPPINGS OF a Formula One Grand Prix on a recent weekend, with high-performance racers taking tight corners at speeds up to 140 m.p.h. But rather than running on gas, these 20 super-charged Formula E cars and the surrounding venue were largely powered by renewable sources of electricity.

Such a feat was made possible by the installation of a tiny power grid designed just for the

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