Modular Microgrids Replace Full Grid Overhauls in Fossil Plant Transitions

 

Detroit is no longer just the Motor City. It’s becoming a hub for clean energy innovation. As climate change forces global shifts in infrastructure, the spotlight is turning to advanced, decentralized solutions like microgrids. The U.S. Department of Energy reports that microgrids could help improve resilience and reduce emissions, especially in aging urban power systems. With energy costs climbing and grid reliability becoming more critical, cities like Detroit are now racing to modernize their energy backbone.

Can aging coal-fired power plants transition to cleaner alternatives without disrupting our energy supply? And can Detroit, a city long synonymous with industrial decline, lead the way in the energy revolution?

This episode of DisruptED, hosted by Ron Stefanski, features entrepreneur and engineer Ademola Fagade, founder and CEO of Geo Prime Energy. Together, they explore how microgrids, hydrogen fuel, and modular energy systems are reshaping the future of sustainable power and why Detroit is central to that transformation.

Key Highlights from the Conversation:

  • Microgrids as a Bridge to the Future: Fagade outlines how modular microgrids can help large energy producers make gradual, safe transitions from fossil fuels to renewable energy without total infrastructure overhauls.

  • Hydrogen’s Disruptive Potential: With hydrogen fuel costs projected to fall from over $4.50, to as low as 13 cents per gallon thanks to new technologies, Fagade sees a realistic, scalable path toward green energy.

  • Detroit as a Launchpad: Fagade shares how personal history, mentorship, and opportunity rooted him in Detroit—a city he now sees as essential to his mission of global energy transformation.

Ademola Fagade is the founder and CEO of GeoPrime Energy, a Detroit-based company pioneering modular microgrid technology and hydrogen integration. Fagade gained firsthand experience in power plant operations and decommissioning as a former DTE Energy engineer. His technical expertise and passion for innovation have earned him contracts with major utilities and partnerships with organizations like TechTown and NPower.

Recent Episodes

Commercial and industrial electrical rates are rising, and this trend is expected to accelerate due to the massive energy demands from new data centers supporting the AI industry. For example, the Texas electrical grid is projected to need to double its capacity by 2030 to meet this new demand. This significant capital investment…

In this episode of The FSG Podcast, host Daniel Litwin, B2B Media Producer, sits down with Michael Cataline, Commercial Solar Projects Lead at FSG, to unpack one of the most talked-about policy shifts in recent energy history — the Big Beautiful Bill. Backed by the Trump administration, this legislation is poised to reshape the commercial…

In a manufacturing landscape still recovering from pandemic-era disruptions, achieving consistent quality and growth is no small feat. Trillium Flow Technologies has done just that, recently celebrating the production of its 1,000th WSP self-primer pump at its Fresno, California facility. The milestone highlights both the resilience of its team and the enduring demand for…