New York State plans 19 MW microgrid for Albany

• 7 years ago (2017-05-24)
• David Flin

Distribution 122 North America 1021

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The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has announced that it is providing funding to work in conjunction with New York Governor Cuomo’s Reinventing the Energy Vision (REV) initiative. In March, NYSERDA said that it would provide $11 million in funding for microgrids in the state under the state’s NY Prize competition.

NYSEDRA is separately backing a new microgrid for the Albany Plaza project in the state capital, providing $2.5 million in funding for the project. Responses to a Request for Proposals issued by the New York Power Authority (NYPA) are being reviewed, and will be used to establish the cost of the Albany microgrid. Awards are expected to be announced in the autumn.

NYPA is partnering with the New York State Office of General Services (OGS) on the project. NYPA will oversee the design and construction process, which is expected to begin in late 2017, and be completed by the end of 2019. OGS will finance the project, which is expected to save $25 million by avoiding the replacement costs of the current aging emergency power system.

The power generation equipment for the microgrid project will be in a waste-recovery steam plant that was decommissioned in 1994, and is next to a working steam plant. The new cogeneration plant is expected to save the state over $2.7 million in annual energy costs.