Dive Summary:
- On Monday, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the state of New Jersey announced their plan to design and build an advanced, storm-resilient microgrid to power the state transit system's rail operations during emergency situations, according to Reuters.
- The microgrid is to be built by the DOE's Sandia National Laboratories and will likely incorporate smart grid technologies and distributed generation resources such as wind generation, PV solar systems, energy storage and backup power generators, according to NJ Today.
- Cost and timeline for the project, which is called NJ TRANSITGRID, were not announced but the microgrid's generating capacity will be over 50 megawatts, DOE Secretary Ernest Moniz announced during a speech on President Obama's Climate Action Plan in New York, N.Y.
Quotes:
“As we rebuild New Jersey from Superstorm Sandy, I am committed to making our state stronger and more resilient. NJ TRANSITGRID is an important step in that process. This first-of-its-kind electrical microgrid will supply highly-reliable power during storms, and help keep our public transportation systems running during natural times of disaster, which is critical not only to our economy, but also emergency and evacuation-related activities." — N.J. Governor Chris Christie
“The President’s Climate Action Plan calls for making our nation’s infrastructure smarter and stronger so that it can withstand new and more serious environmental threats and increasingly severe weather events. The partnership announced today marks an important step in this direction by working to improve the electric grid system in New Jersey and the broader region so that it is more resilient and better equipped to maintain power during natural disasters.” — DOE Secretary Ernest Moniz
