Monthly archives: March, 2018

Mar 27 2018 1Commentby David Breecker

Energy Sovereignty Institute In Development

Posted in energy access, energy poverty, Indigenous energy, MSL news, pilot projects, research

Building on a successful workshop in January of 2018, MSL has partnered with the Sustainable Native Communities Collaborative (SNCC) to form the Energy Sovereignty Institute (ESI). ESI is a not-for-profit social initiative, designed to promote the benefits of decentralized energy systems and technologies for Native American communities, and to advance their availability and use.

SNCC focuses on culturally and environmentally sustainable development with American Indian, First Nations, and Indigenous communities. As sustainable energy, housing, and community design are inextricably woven together in any effective development framework, SNCC and MSL combine the needed skills, experience, and networks to advance a shared mission and agenda. (more…)


Mar 22 2018 1Commentby David Breecker

MSL, UNM Propose Transit Systems Research

Posted in MSL news, partners, R&D, research

MSL, in partnership with Member organization the University of New Mexico, is co-lead on a proposal to the National Science Foundation’s Smart and Connected Communities Program. The project, entitled “Integrated Planning for Public Transit and Electricity Distribution Networks, In an Era of Autonomous Vehicle Fleets,” also involves the City of Albuquerque and its new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system as a community partner, and is under consideration for $3 million in funding over a three-year term. This innovative integrated research project draws from UNM’s electrical, civil and mechanical engineering, computer science, economics, and architecture and community planning faculties, and includes behavioral, social, and data science elements.

Smart and connected communities everywhere will be affected by two major – and interrelated – infrastructure shifts, already underway: in the transportation sector, the shift to electric and autonomous vehicles (EVs and AVs) and fleets; and in the energy sector, the shift to decentralized and decarbonized electricity systems. Together, these will have profound implications for many aspects of urban planning and design. (more…)


Mar 15 2018 1Commentby David Breecker

SFCC, MSL Announce Partnership

Posted in MSL news, partners, Uncategorized, workforce

Santa Fe Community College Announces Partnership with Microgrid Systems Laboratory

 

 

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 14, 2018

SANTA FE, NM – The Microgrid Systems Laboratory (MSL), a consortium focused on energy systems innovation, announced today its ongoing collaboration with Santa Fe Community College (SFCC). MSL currently has 15 Member organizations worldwide, spanning the education, utility, industry, and research sectors. Microgrids are community-scale integrated energy systems, and SFCC is MSL’s primary collaborator for workforce education, training and professional development.

This collaboration has resulted in the creation of the Building Energy Automation and Microgrid Training Center (BEAMTC), funded by grants and contributions from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, the State of New Mexico, and Siemens Industry. MSL worked with SFCC to envision the center and solicit this support, and is currently coordinating its implementation. Training infrastructure and curriculum are in development, with the intent of offering coursework in fall of 2019. (more…)