The Maryland Energy Administration recently announced the Resilient Maryland Pilot incentive program (“Resilient Maryland”). The program hopes to drive growth in the adaption of microgrid technology by providing grants to local governments and organizations. 

Microgrids provide a variety of benefits to local communities. They help ensure local and affordable energy solutions for consumers through reduced transmission length, providing efficiency in energy production and consumption. Additionally, microgrids interface well with renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, and geothermal technology. Microgrids can operate independently and therefore avoid disturbing the larger grid, while maintaining the ability to supplement or supplant energy needs as necessary.

From the Maryland Energy Administration’s press release:

Resilient Maryland provides an opportunity to identify potential ways to incorporate clean energy and distributed energy by providing grant funding for eligible organizations and governments to identify, plan and design microgrids, resilient facility power systems, advanced CHP and resiliency hubs.

The program is designed to attract local governments seeking to bolster essential services (e.g., fire, rescue, emergency shelters), economic development districts seeking to attract new industries, academic organizations, businesses seeking high quality power (e.g., biotech, datacenters), multi-family housing communities (e.g., senior housing, advanced care facilities, vulnerable communities), hospitals and medical facilities where failure is not an option, electric vehicle charging sites and others seeking highly reliable, resilient, clean and affordable energy.

Applications for projects are due May 1, 2020. Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis, and award announcements are expected by May 28, 2020. For more information, visit the web-page.