North Minneapolis Microgrid(s) - Resilient Minneapolis Project

Community resilience hubs in Minnesota are emerging as demonstrations of how stakeholders, particularly in vulnerable communities, can protect themselves in an emergency. The Resilient Minneapolis Project (RMP), a partnership between the City and local utilities, is currently focused on three sites as resiliency hubs for low-income, inner-city neighborhoods during critical grid events. 

Come learn how OATI GridMind® MicroGrid controls support rooftop solar, battery storage, and backup generation for a variety of off-takes and site conditions. Renewable Energy Partners (REP), a minority-owned business developer of solar and other clean energy projects, is leading this development of 1,450 kilowatts of solar and 2,000 kWs of storage on four clustered public school buildings. It will be the community’s first MicroGrid with the ability to island and support food services, vehicle and device recharging and other emergency services for area residents. During normal operations, it will lower energy costs to the schools and be controlled to help manage demand on the grid during peak periods. Open Access Technology International, Inc. (OATI) is providing the Microgrid controls and network engineering and site controller solution, OATI GridMind®. REP also sponsors skills training for careers in new green technologies, including courses in development on Microgrids and battery storage. 

This is a great session for utility, city, and community leaders on how to work with industry, developers, and utilities to build greater resiliency in inner-city neighborhoods. It will also cover lessons learned for local workforce development strategies, and engagement with diverse, low-income communities as well as emergency planners on resiliency efforts. Finally, it will present a case study on resiliency hubs that save energy costs and provide valuable grid services on a daily basis.