AnnouncementsMGI's Zimmer Joins Microgrid Global Innovation Forum March 15 at GWUPanel addresses how to build successful microgrid-utility relationships
March 9, 2018
Washington, D.C.: Microgrid Institute Washington Counsel Michael Zimmer is scheduled on Thurs., March 15, to join a panel discussion on building successful microgrid-utility relationships during the 6th Microgrid Global Innovation Forum. Titled "Working with Utilities: How to Make the Microgrid-Utility Relationship Work for Everyone," the panel will address how microgrids can enhance 21st-century utility operations, approaches to engaging utilities in project development, and vital areas to consider in microgrid planning and feasibility assessment. Zimmer's remarks will focus on the critical role of microgrids in support of the modernization of the US grid. Success will be driven by new innovation especially in business models and attracting capital for these integrative investments for future grid reliability, resilience and customer service. This transformation in the electric sector must manage challenges ahead for all stakeholders, customers and vendors and not just electric utilities. Technology may drive critical choices over historical and outdated regulations. Utilities that adapt to this transformation will be positioned to capture the opportunities ahead. ”While we may be functioning increasingly in a winner-takes-all economy, not all companies will be winners," Zimmer said. "Increasing recognition of collaboration and partnering will be essential for success among electric stakeholders and vendors. This is required to capture the technology, market values, and potential for customer service based on performance and value in the new electric economy of the 21st century. If this is not recognized, only 25% of the true market potential of these newer technologies and innovations will be achieved, and U.S. productivity and competitiveness will be challenged and likely decline.“ READ MORE New Paltz Community Energy Launches Public WebsiteNov. 30, 2016, New Paltz, N.Y.: New Paltz Community Energy (NPCE) launched a public website (www.newpaltzenergy.org) today to provide information about NPCE initiatives and facilitate engagement with New Paltz community members and stakeholders.
New Paltz Community Energy is a working group that includes the Town and Village of New Paltz, New Paltz Central School District, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and local businesses including Woodland Pond at New Paltz and Tops Friendly Markets. The working group is led by Microgrid Institute, with support from the Institute for Building Technology and Safety. READ MORE New Paltz Microgrid Completes NY Prize Stage IAug. 24, 2016, New Paltz, N.Y.: The final summary report on the New Paltz Community Microgrid feasibility assessment has been accepted by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), signaling the successful completion of its NY Prize Stage I project. The project’s final Stage I report is available at the NYSERDA website here:
http://www.nyserda.ny.gov/-/media/NYPrize/files/studies/46-Town-of-New-Paltz.pdf In August 2015, NYSERDA selected a public-private partnership led by Burr Energy LLC (dba Microgrid Institute) to assess the feasibility of developing a community microgrid in New Paltz. The project team includes the Town and Village of New Paltz, State University of New York (SUNY) at New Paltz, the New Paltz Central School District, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and utility partner Central Hudson Gas & Electric. Microgrid Institute led the Stage I study as prime contractor and principal investigator, with technical partners Hitachi Consulting, Green Energy Corp., and TeMIX Inc. NYSERDA provided $100,000 for the NY Prize Stage I project. NY Prize is a first-in-the nation $40 million competition to help communities create microgrids – standalone energy systems that can operate independently in the event of a power outage. Microgrids support a new generation of community-based power under Governor Cuomo’s Reforming the Energy Vision strategy and contribute to the Clean Energy Standard to have 50 percent of the State’s electricity from renewable energy sources by 2030. In all, NYSERDA selected 83 community projects to receive feasibility assessment grants in the NY Prize Community Grid competition. In consultation with the New Paltz Community, the Microgrid Institute team identified six strategic goals for the proposed microgrid: 1. Empower the community to implement its own energy strategy, as part of integrated community planning and development; 2. Improve the resiliency of services that are critical to the health, safety, and vitality of the community; 3. Increase the community’s use of local resilient renewable energy assets, and facilitate ongoing local renewable energy investment; 4. Reduce the community’s fossil energy consumption and related environmental footprint, and facilitate ongoing reductions; 5. Increase opportunities for local ownership of energy resources, keeping more energy dollars in the New Paltz economy; and 6. Support future economic development and growth by modernizing community energy infrastructure. READ MORE Warwick Launches NY Prize Community Microgrid ProjectMicrogrid Institute leads public-private partnership
Aug. 17, 2015 Albany, N.Y.: The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) selected a public-private partnership led by Burr Energy LLC (dba Microgrid Institute) to assess the feasibility of developing a community microgrid in Warwick.
The project team includes the Town and Village of Warwick, the Warwick Central School District, Bon Secours Charity Health System, and Orange & Rockland Utilities. Microgrid Institute leads the study as prime contractor and principal investigator, with technical partners Green Energy Corp., Hitachi Consulting, and TeMIX Inc. During a kickoff meeting on July 15 at Warwick Town Hall, the team began an approximately six-month project to examine options for microgrids that would supply resilient electricity for vital community assets and systems. NYSERDA agreed to provide $100,000 for the NY Prize Stage I project. In all, NYSERDA selected 83 community projects to receive feasibility assessment grants in the NY Prize Community Grid competition. READ MORE New Paltz Launches Ny Prize Community Microgrid ProjectMicrogrid Institute leads public-private partnership
Aug. 3, 2015
Albany, N.Y.: The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) selected a public-private partnership led by Burr Energy LLC (dba Microgrid Institute) to assess the feasibility of developing a community microgrid in New Paltz. The project team includes the Town and Village of New Paltz, State University of New York (SUNY) at New Paltz, the New Paltz Central School District, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and Central Hudson Gas & Electric. Microgrid Institute leads the study as prime contractor and principal investigator, with technical partners Green Energy Corp., Hitachi Consulting, and TeMIX Inc. During a kickoff meeting on July 15 at the office of SUNY President Don Christian, the team began an approximately six-month project to examine options for microgrids that would supply resilient electricity for vital community assets and systems. NYSERDA agreed to provide $100,000 for the NY Prize Stage I project. In all, NYSERDA selected 83 community projects to receive feasibility assessment grants in the NY Prize Community Grid competition. READ MORE PJM General Session Focuses on Microgrids
May 20, 2015, Atlantic City, N.J.: At the PJM Interconnection's General Session today, Microgrid Institute Director Michael Burr delivered a presentation that focused in part on trends in "nested" microgrids -- e.g., systems with multiple islanding nodes that are operated as a portfolio. Additionally, Burr participated in a panel discussion on the topic, and served as its moderator.
"In the United States, the utility grid is highly reliable but not necessarily resilient," Burr told attendees at the event, which included approximately 400 PJM stakeholders and staff. "Microgrid technologies offer local customers options to ensure reliable power supplies for vital assets and services." Additionally, he explained the concept of nested microgrids, and discussed how it can address the needs of communities whose vital systems aren't conveniently clustered together -- such as the Olney Town Center microgrid project in Montgomery County, Maryland, where a team led by Microgrid Institute is designing and testing control systems to serve a nest of six separate microgrid nodes. General session presenters and panelists also included:
Video: Presenting the Draft Minnesota CHP Action Plan:: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ::
May 13, 2015 
St. Paul, Minn.: Microgrid Institute today released a video comprising the April 28 webinar presenting Minnesota Department of Commerce's draft CHP Action Plan.
During the webinar, Microgrid Institute Director Michael Burr presented the draft CHP Action Plan and moderated discussion and Q&A. Additional presenters included Minnesota Department of Commerce representatives Jessica Burdette and Adam Zoet, and Energy Resource Center representatives Graeme Miller and Stefano Galiasso. For more information about the Minnesota CHP Action Plan and Stakeholder Engagement Process, please visit the following: -Microgrid Institute: http://www.microgridinstitute.org/resources.html -Minnesota Department of Commerce http://mn.gov/commerce/energy/businesses/clean-energy/distributed-generation/2014-workshops/chp-meetings.jsp READ MORE ... Webinar: Modeling Clean Resilient Power for Maryland Communities:: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ::
Jan. 21, 2015 Montgomery County, Md.: Microgrid Institute will host a free public webinar on Thurs., Feb. 5, 2015, at 2:00 EST, to provide information and address questions about the Olney Town Center microgrid R&D project. Register to attend this free webinar: Online: http://bit.ly/1utV2OO Phone: Peter Douglass (320) 493-1923 Email: pdouglass@microgridinstitute.org Background: The Olney Town Center microgrid R&D project team – which includes Microgrid Institute, Green Energy Corp., Schneider Electric, North Carolina State University, and Pepco Holdings Inc. – is working to research, design, simulate, and test advanced control systems for a prospective community microgrid at Olney in Montgomery County, approximately 20 miles from Washington, D.C. Additionally, the project will compare and contrast the Olney model against a second prospective microgrid deployment in Prince George’s County. During the webinar on February 5, the project team will provide an overview of the project with details about its objectives and approaches to microgrid technology development. ... READ MORE U.S. DOE selects Microgrid Institute team to design and test microgrid systems for Maryland communitiesSeptember 9, 2014
:: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE :: Washington, D.C.: The U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory, on Monday selected a team led by Burr Energy LLC (dba Microgrid Institute) to design, simulate, and test microgrid control systems for two Maryland suburbs served by utility Pepco Holdings Inc. DOE/NETL is expected to provide approximately $1.2 million in funding assistance for the Olney Town Center Microgrid Project during a two-year period beginning in late 2014. The project team – including Microgrid Institute, Green Energy Corp., Schneider Electric, and FREEDM Systems Center at N.C. State University, with assistance and cooperation from Pepco Holdings Inc. – will design and study advanced control systems for community microgrids at Olney (Montgomery County) and Ritchie Station Marketplace (Prince George’s County). “The Olney Town Center area, which was recommended by Pepco Holdings Inc., serves as a critical community hub and lifeline,” said Michael Burr, Director, Microgrid Institute. “With a hospital, two schools, police and fire stations, a water tower, and other vital facilities within one square mile, the Olney Town Center is an ideal setting for a resilient community microgrid.” In addition to modeling a microgrid control system for the Olney Town Center area, the project also will design and simulate a community microgrid centered on the Ritchie Station Marketplace, a multi-use commercial development near the Washington, D.C. beltway. “Modeling microgrid configurations for two different community scenarios will allow the project team to compare and contrast use cases,” said Steven Pullins, Chief Strategy Officer at Green Energy Corp. “Insight from these comparisons will add substantial value to commercial microgrid product designs.” Principal roles in project execution include:
The Olney Town Center project team also enjoys support and encouragement from the Maryland Energy Administration, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, the Montgomery County Council, and the NAI Michael Companies – developer of the Ritchie Station Marketplace. “Such collaborative support will ensure the project serves the priorities of local communities, the state of Maryland, and the nation,” Burr said. In addition to addressing local energy priorities, the project will pursue key national goals established in the President’s Climate Action Plan, as well as DOE’s Microgrid Program Objectives:
The Olney project complements other collaborative initiatives at Microgrid Institute, such as the Resilient Communities Initiative, which focuses on helping community leaders and stakeholders in strategic planning and execution of community resilience projects centered on local energy infrastructure. About Microgrid Institute: Microgrid Institute (www.microgridinstitute.org) is a collaborative organization that addresses key issues affecting the development of microgrids and distributed energy assets. Efforts focus on market development and analysis, regulatory and financial models, and project feasibility and structuring. Microgrid Institute is an independent initiative of Burr Energy LLC. FAQ: www.microgridinstitute.org/faq-olney-town-center-microgrid-project.html CONTACT: www.microgridinstitute.org 320.632.5342 / info@microgridinstitute.org -30- MINNESOTA SELECTS MICROGRID INSTITUTE FOR CHP STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENTJuly 21, 2014
:: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE :: St. Paul, Minn.: The Minnesota Department of Commerce selected Microgrid Institute for a two-part project addressing combined heat and power (CHP) stakeholder engagement in the state. The project includes a pair of contracts to perform work that will assist the Department of Commerce, Division of Energy Resources, in its efforts to develop a CHP Action Plan for the state. Microgrid Institute’s work under the contracts will include facilitating CHP stakeholder engagement meetings and performing a series of stakeholder surveys. Project deliverables will include survey results, reports, analysis, and recommendations, as well as a CHP Stakeholder Database and a CHP Education & Training plan. “The Microgrid Institute team is delighted to work with the Minnesota Department of Commerce on this important initiative,” said Michael Burr, Director, Microgrid Institute. “These stakeholder engagement and outreach processes will help establish priorities for the Minnesota CHP Action Plan, and clarify how the State of Minnesota can facilitate development of highly efficient CHP systems. Through these efforts, we also will identify gaps in technical knowledge and capabilities among current and prospective CHP users, to help Minnesota direct education and training resources toward the most important needs.” The Division of Energy Resources awarded the contracts to Microgrid Institute as the result of two competitive requests for proposals (RFP) announced in May 2014. The project was made possible by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. About Microgrid Institute: Microgrid Institute (www.microgridinstitute.org) is a collaborative organization that addresses key issues affecting the development of microgrids and distributed energy assets. Efforts focus on market development and analysis, regulatory and financial models, and project feasibility and structuring. Microgrid Institute is an independent initiative of Burr Energy LLC. CONTACT: www.microgridinstitute.org 320.632.5342 / info@microgridinstitute.org -30- Microgrid Institute Launches
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