SINGAPORE - On the island of Semakau to the south of Singapore, solar panels and a wind turbine generate electricity through a system of interconnected microgrids – one of the largest in South-east Asia – that offers a real-life test bed for how a renewable energy grid may be best devised.

Microgrids are used to generate power in remote areas, where they offer a cheaper and more efficient alternative to building miles of transmission lines and wires from a large power station.