Stakeholder Engagement, Collaboration, And Integrated Planning

When a project affects multiple stakeholders, success can depend on active and open communications.

​Microgrid Institute's methodologies focus on facilitating collaboration among stakeholders, including soliciting input, reaching consensus, and delegating and managing action items among collaborative team members. Ultimately, a public-private partnership can ensure that community priorities drive project objectives and outcomes.
The Power of
Integrated Planning
Investments in local energy assets can serve multiple purposes -- from saving money to improving resiliency of critical facilities. But too often such projects are developed on an isolated "silo" basis -- focusing on a narrow set of objectives, rather than on the big picture. Integrated planning and development, based on stakeholder engagement and collaboration, ensures that investments:
  • Produce greater benefits than projects pursued in isolation;
  • Are consistent with community strategic goals and stakeholder interests; and
  • Support broad-based support and a solid foundation for implementation.
Pre-Feasibility Outreach

Initial project screening and assessment must include outreach and engagement among key stakeholders to ensure that all critical factors are understood. Failure to account for stakeholder interests leads to lost opportunities and unforeseen obstacles that can make or break a project in later phases.
Stakeholder Collaboration

Complex projects require a broad base of support and an ongoing process for soliciting input and seeking consensus. Microgrid Institute prioritizes ongoing collaboration among key stakeholders to gather critical information, maintain project support, and identify challenges and opportunities as early as possible.
Public-Private Partnerships

Forming a collaborative partnership among local stakeholders enables integrated planning and development. Microgrid Institute brings stakeholders together to form public private partnerships, and leads project development processes to maintain participation among key stakeholders.

Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration Resources

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Minnesota CHP Action Plan - Stakeholder Engagement Process
The Minnesota Department of Commerce, Division of Energy Resources, engaged Microgrid Institute in 2014 and 2015 to support a CHP stakeholder engagement process as part of the state's effort to increase energy efficiency in Minnesota. Among deliverables produced for this project, Microgrid Institute prepared several policy brief documents, and sythesis/summary reports.

FINAL REPORT:
Options, Outcomes, and Recommendations
Synthesizes comments and findings in the Minnesota CHP Stakeholder Engagement Process and provides recommendations for development of a CHP Action Plan. (February 2015). DOWNLOAD REPORT
New technology options are providing new opportunities for local communities to pursue their own energy strategies in a cost-effective way. Such strategies are most successful when they consider the interests of multiple local stakeholders and execute projects in an integrated fashion. Microgrid Institute Director Michael Burr provides an overview of community energy projects and development approaches for stakeholders in Washington's Olympic Peninsula area. WATCH VIDEO
Best practices in forming and managing public-private partnerships
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Urban Land Institute
Ten Principles for Successful Public-Private Partnerships.
World Bank Group
Recommended PPP Contract Provisions