Dive Brief:

• New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) has announced $11 million in funding for 11 microgrid projects across the state.

• The funding constitutes the second stage of the state’s three-stage microgrid award program, which allocated $40 million total to propel microgrid development.

• The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority will provide the funding for the second phase of the NY Prize program, which covers detailed feasibility studies for the design, engineering and financing of the proposed microgrids.

Dive Insight:

In the first phase of the NY Prize competition in 2015, 83 municipalities won awards of $100,000 to conduct feasibility studies for microgrids that could boost grid resiliency. 

The program, part of the state’s Reforming the Energy Vision effort, is intended to help modernize and grid and add resiliency in areas where extreme weather has often resulted in power outages.

The second phase awards calls for more detailed feasibility studies. It will be followed by a third phase in which successful bidders will have access to financing from the NY Green Bank to build microgrids.

Among the winners of the second phase awards is the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. The BNMC project would enable the medical campus to serve as a refuge and provide critical services during a catastrophic event. It will also serve to strengthen the grid and provide relief during high peak periods.

Funding for the BNMC study is coming from NYSERDA with an in-kind contribution in the form of labor from the BNMC for a total of $950,000. BNMC was awarded $100,000 in the first phase of the NY Prize competition.

Black & Veatch will be the lead partner to complete the scope of work.