The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center’s (MassCEC) Community Microgrids Program seeks to catalyze the development of community microgrids throughout Massachusetts to lower customer energy costs, reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and provide increased energy resilience.
In February, MassCEC announced $1.05 million in funding for feasibility studies of 14 projects in communities across the Commonwealth.
This program is currently CLOSED
MassCEC seeks to support prospective community microgrid projects with the following characteristics:
- Are community, multi-user microgrids (as opposed to single owner or campus-style microgrids) located in Massachusetts;
- Demonstrate significant potential to reduce GHG emissions through the integration of energy efficiency, Combined Heat and Power (“CHP”), renewable energy systems, electric and/or thermal storage technologies, demand management, energy efficiency, and other relevant technologies;
- Have the active and engaged support of the local utility (either investor-owned or municipal light plants) and other relevant stakeholders;
- Encompass a public or private critical facility , including but not limited to schools, hospitals, shelters, libraries, grocery stores, service (gas) stations, fire/police stations or waste water treatment plants;
- Support the distribution system by addressing capacity concerns, providing black start capability, facilitating renewables integration, or providing other services that are meaningful to the local utility;
- Attract third party investment; and
- Highlight Massachusetts-based clean energy/microgrid technology.
The Program intends to award funding for feasibility assessments to advance proposed microgrid projects through the early project origination stages and attract third party investment to these opportunities. Community Microgrid Feasibility Assessment Grant Applicants must either have the capacity to carry out the feasibility study with a pre-identified team of their own, or may opt to receive a technical and financial assessment from a Technical Consultant contracted by MassCEC to perform such assessments.
More information for communities or applicant teams looking to apply for funding for a feasibility study, with or without the assistance of MassCEC’s Technical Consultant, can be found in the associated Request for Expressions of Interest. Meanwhile, more information for entities interested in applying to serve as the aforementioned Technical Consultant will be available when the Technical Consultant Request for Proposals is released.
Request for Expressions of Interest
MassCEC is soliciting Expressions of Interest from groups interested in participating in feasibility assessments for community microgrid projects across the Commonwealth. The Request for EOIs will help MassCEC and other stakeholders identify projects which are attractive to the relevant local authorities, electric and/or gas utility, and have a strong likelihood of success.
MassCEC seeks to support multi-user community microgrids, located in Massachusetts, that meet a range of objectives including reducing GHG emissions, enabling the integration of renewable energy sources, supporting the local distribution system, and providing energy resilience for critical facilities during electrical grid outages. Respondent teams must include support from the local government and the relevant electric or gas distribution company.
More full eligibility criteria for groups interest in participating in feasibility assessments for community microgrid project, please visit the associated Expressions of Interest web page.
Feasibility Assessment Technical Consultant
MassCEC will also be soliciting applications from professionals with significant experience in community microgrids and energy project development to serve as a technical consultant. The Technical Consultant will develop preliminary designs of specific multi-user community microgrids that serve the needs of communities across Massachusetts, and perform technical and financial feasibility assessments to evaluate their viability.
For more information on the Technical Consultant Request for Proposals (RFP) please visit the associated Request for Proposals web page.
Request for Expressions of Interest
The completed Expression of Interest, including all required documentation, must be submitted to microgrids@masscec.com. “Community Microgrids Feasibility Assessments – EOI” must appear in the email subject line. Please refer to the Expressions of Interest solicitation and application materials for more information.
The deadline to submit and Expression of Interest has passed. Please check back in for updates on future funding opportunities.
Feasibility Assessment Technical Consultant
The completed application for the Technical Consultant Request for Proposals (RFP), must be submitted to microgrids@masscec.com. “Community Microgrids Feasibility Assessments – Technical Consultant” must appear in the email subject line. Please refer to the Request for Proposals solicitation for more information.
The deadline to submit an application has passed. Please check back in for updates on future funding opportunities.
Questions:
An informational webinar for the Community Microgrids Program - Request for Expressions of Interest was held on Thursday, June 1st, 2017, from 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM EDT. Please see the below linked PDF document for the informational webinar slides:
Please see the below linked PDF document for Frequently Asked Questions. This document will be updated regularly as new questions and answers become available.
Please email Maeghan Lefebvre, microgrids@masscec.com, with any questions.
Please explore the linked additional resources below:
Additional Resources:
Related Programs in Massachusetts:
Massachusetts Resources:
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Massachusetts Distributed Generation and Interconnection website
- The Interconnection page has interactive charts and project-by-project listing
- The DG Working Group page has recommended materials for folks seeking to site DG (includes circuit by circuit Utility Service Quality reports)
- The MA Technical Standards Review Group page provides materials and details for past and future meetings (see storage and hosting capacity topics)
- The Grid Modernization page provides background on DOER work with utilities on DER Integration, Hosting Capacity, and progress in other jurisdictions
Other Resources:
Example Microgrid Projects:
- NYSERDA NY Prize Phase 1 Feasibility Studies
- Hartford, CT Parkville Microgrid; funding awarded through Connecticut’s microgrid program
- Microgrid Case Studies, by Raab Associates
Utility Contacts:
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National Grid:
- Babak Enayati, Lead Engineer, Babak.Enayati@nationalgrid.com
- Tom Chorman, Senior Engineer, Thomas.Chorman@nationalgrid.com
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Unitil:
- John Bonazoli, Director of Distribution Engineering, bonazoli@unitil.com
In accordance with the 2014 order issued by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, requiring public utilities in Massachusetts to develop 10-year grid modernization plans, MassCEC is exploring microgrid technology as one of a number of possible components of grid modernization, which has the opportunity to deliver unique benefits to Massachusetts communities.
MassCEC seeks to catalyze the development of community microgrids throughout Massachusetts to reduce customer energy costs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and increase resiliency of critical facilities and infrastructure.
The current solicitations under the MassCEC Community Microgrid Program, for expressions of interest from community microgrid team members and for requests for proposals from entities interested in serving as technical consultants, represent the Commonwealth’s first major investments in microgrid technology, and seek to explore benefits that microgrids can offer to Massachusetts ratepayers.
Pending the results of the assessments funded through the current Community Microgrid Program solicitations, MassCEC anticipates that further funding for project implementation may be available.