But a University of Texas at Dallas engineer is working to create large-scale mobile marine microgrids aboard U.S. Navy ships that could deliver temporary power during emergencies. While a Navy ship’s energy could be transferred to an inland area, the costs involved would make the power source inefficient for areas not near the coast, Zhang said. “You have to coordinate between the ship’s energy scheduling and the network’s scheduling. In addition, the team will explore the costs, benefits and risks to Navy power ships and the coastal power network. Zhang said that Navy ships potentially could generate revenue from providing electricity to the coastline distribution grid.