Bedford: GE Energy Consulting begins Microgrid Study for Town of Bedford
GE Energy Consulting was awarded multiple project sites in Massachusetts through the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) Clean Energy and Resiliency (CLEAR) Program. The Program focuses on ensuring climate resilient facilities and communities through strategic microgrid development. For more information visit Massachusetts Clean Energy Center
GE Energy Consulting and Nexant begin microgrid study work for Town of Bedford, MA
GE Energy Consulting along with their subcontractor and partner, Nexant, kicked off a microgrid feasibility and evaluation study for the Town of Bedford, Massachusetts. The study, which is funded through the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) Clean Energy and Resiliency (CLEAR) Program, will analyze the economic and financial impacts of a microgrid project and develop a high-level system design needed to create resilient town facilities, providing protection to vulnerable populations from major power outage events.
On February 23, members of the project team from GE Energy Consulting and Nexant formally began the study and evaluation process for a microgrid with the Town of Bedford. The project team met with town officials and MassCEC through an introductory virtual meeting. GE Energy Consulting and Nexant outlined the overall scope of the project and tasks to be completed over the nine-month project period. Bedford town officials discussed their hopes for incorporating a microgrid to support the Bedford Police Station (including dispatch center), Fire Station, Town Hall, Town Center and High School.
The Bedford Microgrid Study is part of a second round of projects awarded through the CLEAR Program to GE Energy Consulting, which was originally awarded two projects in September 2020 by MassCEC. The goal of the CLEAR projects is to provide least-cost microgrid solutions to communities throughout Massachusetts in order to reduce economic losses from major power outage events, lower services interruption time for utility customers, and provide a replicable pathway for customers to assist utilities in outage recovery events.
The CLEAR program is intended to aid communities in identifying and pursuing specific investment plans that will enable critical loads to “ride through” interruptions in grid service. Funding through the CLEAR program will advance first-stage system designs for nine community sites. Additionally, it will support the development of a toolkit which will provide a guide for all Massachusetts communities seeking to become more resilient, as well as a resiliency certification, to strengthen collaboration between utilities and communities so that resilient systems can be fully utilized during major events and grid disturbances.
“Building on the Community Microgrids program, this program is focused on assisting communities with resilient design studies while at the same time generating a toolkit and certification for all Massachusetts’ communities to use in the future,” said MassCEC CEO Stephen Pike at the launch event for the program. “Bedford and GE are helping shape how Massachusetts buildings and communities will adapt to climate change and protect our most vulnerable residents moving forward.”
“The Bedford community has been very supportive of the Town’s efforts to move toward green, renewable energy and reduce carbon emissions,” said Bedford Town Manager Sarah Stanton. “This exciting project will provide Bedford with energy resiliency and power security. Bedford is appreciative of the opportunity to partner on this initiative with MassCEC and its energy consultants, GE Energy Consulting and Nexant.”
“The microgrid study work for the Town of Bedford is an exciting project for GE Energy Consulting,” shared Gene Hinkle, Managing Director. “Our team of power systems experts have been providing this type of analysis and techno-economic solutions for communities across the greater Northeast and beyond. Microgrids are one of the tools that can support grid resiliency, especially when our communities and essential services are impacted by powerful storms.”
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