The energy market is shifting away from centralized power generation, and that shift is picking up speed. Microgrids, battery storage, solar arrays, and other distributed energy resources (DERs) are creating a new category of buyer, a new set of decision-makers, and a new sales conversation. For power equipment manufacturers, this means the old way of reaching customers through trade shows, spec sheets, and distributor relationships alone is no longer enough. Manufacturers who sell microgrid components, generation equipment, energy storage, and control systems now need a marketing approach that speaks directly to what these buyers care about: resilience, cost control, and independence from the traditional grid.
Why Is the Power Generation Market Moving Toward Decentralization?
For decades, electricity flowed one direction: from large central plants through transmission lines to end users. That model is changing because of several forces hitting at once. Extreme weather events have exposed how fragile centralized grids can be when a single point of failure takes down power for millions. At the same time, the cost of solar, battery storage, and small-scale generation has dropped enough that localized power production now makes financial sense for commercial and industrial facilities, campuses, military bases, and even remote communities.
The numbers tell the story clearly. The global microgrid market exceeded $22.9 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 19.2% from 2025 to 2034. The market is expected to grow from roughly $37.63 billion in 2024 to $148.29 billion by 2032, at a CAGR of 18.7%. That growth is fueled by corporate sustainability commitments, rising cybersecurity concerns for critical infrastructure, and the increasing unreliability of aging grid systems.
Key Drivers Pushing Buyers Toward Distributed Energy
- Grid vulnerability to extreme weather: Hurricanes, wildfires, and ice storms have shown that relying solely on centralized grids puts facilities and communities at risk of extended outages, driving demand for on-site power generation.
- Falling technology costs: Solar panels, lithium-ion batteries, and smart inverters have all dropped in price significantly, making microgrids financially viable for a broader range of commercial and industrial buyers.
- Corporate sustainability goals: Companies across sectors are committing to net-zero targets, and on-site renewable generation paired with storage allows them to measure and reduce their carbon footprint directly.
- Federal and state policy support: Regulations like FERC Order 2222, state renewable portfolio standards, and programs like California’s SB 1339 are creating clearer paths for distributed energy participation in wholesale markets.
- Data center and AI growth: Rising data center electricity demand is pushing utilities and operators to collaborate on solutions including grid upgrades, renewable procurement, and distributed resources. This creates new opportunities for microgrid manufacturers.
“We see power equipment manufacturers at a crossroads. The companies that position themselves as partners in energy resilience rather than just hardware suppliers will win the long-term relationships in this market.” —#8212; Strategy Team at Emulent Marketing
Who Are the Buyers in a Decentralized Energy Market, and What Do They Care About?
One of the biggest shifts in marketing for microgrid and distributed energy equipment is the change in who is making purchasing decisions. In the traditional power equipment world, buyers were often utility procurement teams and engineering firms with deep technical knowledge. The decentralized market brings in a wider cast of decision-makers, many of whom are learning about distributed energy resources for the first time.
Commercial and industrial (C&I) facility managers are now directly involved in energy procurement conversations. These people manage hospitals, manufacturing plants, university campuses, and data centers where downtime carries enormous costs. They care about uptime, payback periods, and whether a vendor can prove that a microgrid investment will reduce their energy spend and protect them during outages. Corporate sustainability officers, CFOs evaluating long-term energy contracts, and operations directors focused on reducing risk all play a role in the purchasing committee.
Buyer Segments and Their Primary Concerns
| Buyer Segment |
Primary Concern |
Content They Respond To |
| Facility Managers (C&I) |
Uptime, maintenance simplicity, ROI timeline |
Case studies, total cost of ownership calculators, video walkthroughs |
| Corporate Sustainability Officers |
Carbon reduction, regulatory compliance, ESG reporting |
White papers on emissions impact, certification details, comparison guides |
| Procurement Directors |
Vendor reliability, contract flexibility, integration standards |
Spec sheets with interoperability data, vendor comparison content |
| Engineering Consultants |
Technical performance, system design, load profiles |
Technical documentation, integration guides, modeling software access |
| Military / Government Facility Managers |
Energy security, mission continuity, regulatory compliance |
Resilience-focused content, compliance documentation |
| Data Center Operators |
Power density, redundancy, rapid deployment |
Capacity planning tools, uptime guarantees, modular deployment data |
Understanding these buyer segments matters because the language, the proof points, and the content formats that resonate with a facility manager are very different from what an engineering consultant needs. Manufacturers that produce one-size-fits-all marketing collateral will lose ground to competitors who tailor their B2B content strategy to each persona.
How Should Manufacturers Reposition Their Brand Around Solutions Rather Than Components?
Historically, power equipment companies marketed based on product specifications: kilowatt output, fuel type, footprint dimensions, and efficiency ratings. Those details still matter, but they are no longer the starting point of the buyer conversation. Today’s distributed energy buyers want to understand outcomes. They want to know how a microgrid system will protect their facility during a grid outage, how it will reduce their energy bill over 10 years, and how it integrates with their existing solar array or battery storage.
This means power equipment manufacturers need to shift their brand positioning from component seller to solutions provider. That is not just a messaging change; it affects everything from your website architecture to your sales enablement materials. Your homepage should lead with the problems you solve (resilience, cost savings, sustainability compliance), not the products you build. Your product pages should connect specifications to business outcomes, not just list technical data.
“The manufacturers winning in distributed energy are the ones telling a complete story. They show how their equipment fits into a broader energy strategy, not just how it generates power.” —#8212; Strategy Team at Emulent Marketing
Steps to Reposition Your Brand for Distributed Energy
- Audit your current messaging for product-first language: Review your website, brochures, and trade show materials. Count how often you lead with a product name versus a buyer problem. If more than half of your headings start with a product model number, you need to restructure.
- Build “solution story” pages on your website: Create pages organized around use cases such as “Hospital Energy Resilience” or “Campus Microgrid for Net-Zero Goals” rather than only having product category pages.
- Develop total cost of ownership (TCO) tools: Give buyers interactive calculators that factor in energy savings, maintenance costs, incentive programs, and avoided outage expenses so they can see ROI clearly.
- Invest in brand videography that shows systems in action: Video tours of installed microgrids, testimonials from facility managers, and explainer content that walks through how a system responds during a grid outage all build confidence in your solution.
What Role Do Regulatory Changes Like FERC Order 2222 Play in Your Marketing Strategy?
If your marketing team has not yet built content around FERC Order 2222, you are leaving a significant opportunity on the table. Issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in 2020, Order 2222 aims to allow distributed energy resources to participate in wholesale electricity markets through aggregations, removing barriers that previously limited small-scale resources. In practical terms, this means that microgrids, battery storage, rooftop solar, EV charging systems, and demand response technologies can now be bundled together and bid into energy markets as a combined resource.
For power equipment manufacturers, this regulation changes the value proposition of your products. Your equipment is no longer just a backup power source or a cost-saving measure. It is now a potential revenue generator for your customers. A hospital microgrid that includes your generation equipment and pairs it with battery storage can earn money by providing grid services like peak shaving and frequency regulation through a virtual power plant (VPP) arrangement.
Distributed storage has grown fivefold since 2020 to 4.8 gigawatts in 2024, with another 4 GW expected by 2026, while virtual power plant enrollment reached 30 GW in 2024. These are not theoretical concepts. They are active, growing markets that your buyers are exploring right now.
How to Use Regulatory Context in Your Content
- Create educational content explaining FERC Order 2222 in plain language: Most of your buyers are not regulatory experts. Produce guides that explain what this order means for their facility and how your equipment helps them participate.
- Highlight revenue-generation potential in your sales materials: Go beyond cost-savings messaging. Show buyers how their microgrid investment can earn revenue through wholesale market participation and demand response programs.
- Map state-by-state regulatory landscapes: Policies vary significantly. California’s SB 1339, New York’s Value of Distributed Energy Resources (VDER) program, and individual state renewable portfolio standards all affect how your customers can use your products. Publish content tailored to key states where you sell.
- Partner with industry publications for digital public relations: Position your leadership team as subject-matter authorities on how manufacturers should respond to these policy shifts.
“Regulatory content might not be the most exciting topic on your editorial calendar, but it is one of the highest-value topics you can cover. Buyers are actively searching for answers about how new rules affect their projects.” —#8212; Strategy Team at Emulent Marketing
What Content Formats Work Best for Marketing Complex Energy Solutions?
Marketing microgrids and distributed energy equipment is fundamentally a B2B marketing challenge. The sales cycle is long, the buying committee includes multiple stakeholders, and the investment is significant. That means your content strategy needs to be built for education and trust-building at every stage of the buyer’s journey, not just awareness.
At the top of the funnel, buyers are researching whether distributed energy makes sense for their facility. They need content that helps them understand concepts without overwhelming them with jargon. Think guides like “What Is a Microgrid and Does My Facility Need One?” or comparison content that weighs centralized vs. distributed approaches. Mid-funnel buyers are evaluating vendors and comparing solutions. They need technical documentation, integration specifications, and total-cost-of-ownership analyses. At the bottom, buyers are ready to select a partner and need proof. Project profiles, educational video content, and direct conversations with your engineering team seal the deal.
Content Formats Mapped to the Buyer Journey
| Buyer Stage |
Content Format |
Purpose |
| Awareness |
Blog posts, explainer videos, infographics |
Introduce microgrid and DER concepts, build brand recognition |
| Consideration |
White papers, comparison guides, ROI calculators |
Position your solution against alternatives and demonstrate financial impact |
| Decision |
Project profiles, technical spec sheets, live demos |
Prove capability and build confidence for final vendor selection |
| Post-Sale |
Maintenance guides, software training, community forums |
Retain customers and generate referrals within their professional network |
Key content principles for distributed energy marketing
- Lead with outcomes, follow with specifications: Every piece of content should answer “what does this mean for my facility?” before it answers “how does this technology work?” Buyers care about results first.
- Build modular content that serves multiple personas: A single white paper on microgrid resilience can include a two-page executive summary for CFOs and a detailed appendix for engineers. This saves production time while serving the full buying committee.
- Use data visualization to tell your story: Energy data is complex. Charts showing payback timelines, load profiles during outage events, and before/after energy cost comparisons make your case far more compelling than paragraphs of text.
- Publish consistently, not sporadically: A marketing blog that publishes two to four pieces per month on distributed energy topics builds search authority over time and keeps your brand visible between trade shows.
How Can Manufacturers Take Advantage of the Microgrid-as-a-Service Model?
One of the most meaningful business model shifts in the distributed energy space is the rise of Microgrid as a Service (MaaS). Instead of selling equipment outright, some manufacturers and developers are offering microgrids on a subscription or managed-service basis. The customer pays a monthly fee that covers installation, maintenance, monitoring, and energy management, while the provider retains ownership of the equipment.
The global microgrid-as-a-service market was valued at $3.57 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $14.47 billion by 2035, growing at a CAGR of 15.02%. This model is attractive to buyers who want the benefits of a microgrid without the large upfront capital investment. For manufacturers, it opens a recurring revenue stream and a deeper long-term relationship with customers.
From a marketing perspective, MaaS changes the conversation entirely. Instead of selling a product, you are selling a service relationship. Your marketing materials need to address total value over the contract period, service-level agreements, and what happens when equipment needs upgrading. Your website design should include a service-oriented section that clearly communicates how the subscription model works, what is included, and how it compares financially to outright purchase.
Marketing differences between equipment sales and MaaS models
- Shift your pricing communication from capex to opex: MaaS buyers think in terms of monthly costs and total contract value. Your proposals, calculators, and comparison tools should reflect this by showing cost-per-month figures alongside total savings over the contract period.
- Highlight your service and monitoring capabilities: When a buyer is entering a 10 to 20-year service agreement, they want confidence that your company will be there for the long haul. Spotlight your maintenance track record, your monitoring software, and your support infrastructure.
- Create content addressing common objections to the service model: Buyers may worry about lack of ownership, contract lock-in, or what happens if their needs change. Proactively address these concerns in your marketing content rather than waiting for them to come up in sales conversations.
“MaaS is not just a financial model. It is a relationship model. The manufacturers that market it well will build the kind of long-term partnerships that generate referrals and repeat business for years.” —#8212; Strategy Team at Emulent Marketing
How Should SEO and Digital Presence Support Distributed Energy Marketing?
Many power equipment manufacturers still rely heavily on trade shows, distributor networks, and direct sales teams. While those channels remain important, the reality is that today’s B2B buyers begin their research online long before they attend a trade show or return a sales call. Search engine visibility is no longer optional for manufacturers in this space.
The entity and semantic SEO approach is particularly relevant for distributed energy marketing. Search engines increasingly connect related concepts and topics, so your website should not just target individual keywords. Instead, it should build a connected web of content that covers microgrids, DERs, battery storage, virtual power plants, energy resilience, and related regulations. This signals to search engines that your site is an authority on the broader topic of distributed energy solutions.
SEO priorities for power equipment manufacturers
- Build content pillars and topic clusters around your key solutions: Create a pillar page for each major solution area (microgrids, energy storage, power generation), then build supporting content that links back to the pillar. This structure helps search engines understand your topical authority.
- Target informational search queries your buyers are asking: Queries like “how much does a microgrid cost for a hospital” or “microgrid vs. backup generator for data centers” represent real buyer research. Create content that answers these questions directly.
- Prepare for AI-powered search: As Google AI Overviews and other AI-driven search platforms grow in influence, your content needs to be structured in a way that AI systems can understand and reference. Use clear definitions, organized headings, and direct answers to common questions.
- Invest in entity-based SEO to connect your brand with distributed energy topics: Building entity associations between your brand name and key concepts like “microgrid resilience” or “DER integration” helps search engines and AI platforms recognize your company as a relevant source.
What Mistakes Are Power Equipment Manufacturers Making in Their Marketing Right Now?
We work with industrial manufacturers regularly, and we see a few common patterns that hold companies back as they try to reach the distributed energy market. Recognizing these patterns is the first step toward correcting them.
Common marketing mistakes in the distributed energy space
- Talking to engineers only and ignoring the broader buying committee: Your technical content may be excellent, but if you have nothing for the CFO who approves the budget or the sustainability officer who champions the project internally, you are missing the people who influence the final decision.
- Treating microgrids and DERs as a niche product category: This market is projected to grow to over $148 billion by 2032. It is not a niche. Manufacturers who treat it as a side business rather than a core growth area will be outpaced by competitors who invest in it fully.
- Ignoring the regulatory context that shapes buyer behavior: Policies like FERC Order 2222, state incentive programs, and renewable portfolio standards directly affect whether and how your customers buy. If your marketing does not address these topics, buyers will find a competitor who does.
- Publishing technical specifications without context: A spec sheet that says “100kW output” means nothing to a facility manager who does not know how that translates to hours of backup power for their building. Always translate specifications into real-world impact.
- Neglecting digital presence in favor of trade-show-only strategies: Trade shows are valuable for relationship building, but your buyers are researching online months before they walk the show floor. If your website is outdated or your content is thin, you are losing opportunities before you ever shake hands.
Conclusion
The distributed energy market is growing too fast and changing too quickly for power equipment manufacturers to rely on marketing approaches built for a centralized energy world. Buyers in this space need education, they need proof, and they need to trust that their equipment partner understands the full picture: from regulatory shifts and business model changes to on-the-ground performance and long-term service. At Emulent, we help industrial manufacturers build the kind of digital marketing strategy that connects technical capability with real buyer needs, so your message reaches the right people at the right time. If you need help with your industrial manufacturing marketing, reach out to the Emulent team to start a conversation about how we can support your growth in this market.
