In 2001, at the Technische Universität Berlin Institute for Energy Technology, a team of young academics developed an ambitious research project to explore a seemingly simple question: How is it possible that in a country like Bangladesh solar photovoltaic systems are disseminated commercially in rural areas, whereas in Germany it is considered a mere fancy and expensive dream? Intrigued by the example of Grameen Shakti, which since its founding in 1996 continues to successfully expand the dissemination of solar home systems in rural areas of Bangladesh, they initiated the Research Group MicroEnergy Systems which is active since 2003.

The Research Group started to develop an academic network within and outside of the University and started a number of activities:

• In 2004 - Initiation of the Competency Network for Energy & Development, in cooperation with GIZ
• Since 2004 - Development and implementation of different curricula for teaching microenergy systems at the TU Berlin, including:
  • energy system Senegal
  • energy entrepreneurship and rural electrification
  • learning by cooking (practical course to understand opportunities and challenges of solar cooking
• Since 2006 - Development of the first Microenergy Systems Research Agenda
• Since 2007 - Start of the first Microenergy Systems Postgraduate School, funded by the Hans-Böckler Foundation
• 2011 - First MES Conference in Berlin
• 2010  - Development of the second Microenergy Systems Research Agenda
• Since 2011 - Start of the second Microenergy Systems Postgraduate School, funded by the Hans-Böckler Foundation
• 2013 - Second MES Conference in Berlin
• 2014 - Third MES Conference in Berkeley
• 2015 - Fourth MES Conference in Banglalore
• 2016 - Fifth MES Conference in Medelling / Colombia
• Since 2015 - Development of the third Microenergy Systems Research Agenda 
• Since 2016 - Start of the third round of PhD projects within the Microenergy Research Group
• 2018 - Sixth MES Traveling Conference in Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines