Category: R&D

Nov 13 2023 1Commentby David Breecker

MSL Launches “New Grid Paradigms” Initiative

Posted in Innovation, MSL news, R&D, research, Uncategorized

In response to the urgent need for accelerated progress in grid modernization, MSL has launched a collaborative systems innovation approach under the rubric of “New Grid Paradigms” (NGP). The initiative seeks to catalyze a field of trans-disciplinary research, devoted to exploring and developing a fully integrated paradigm through a complex adaptive systems lens. This paradigm would be capable of eventually supporting the design, architecture, and implementation of a truly modernized, flexible, resilient, and decarbonized grid, using a systems innovation approach. (more…)


May 22 2023 by David Breecker

MSL Leads Advanced Grid Tech Seminar with NMSU

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

On May 19, 2023 MSL organized and led a seminar on advanced grid modernization technologies as part of a grant awarded to New Mexico State University by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) program. MSL and The National Renewable Energy Laboratory are collaborators on the grant. Seminar presenters included the NMSU research team; researchers from Los Alamos, Sandia, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratories; and Camus Energy (all MSL consortium Members).

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Nov 01 2022 by David Breecker

MSL, RIT, Navajo Tech Win Energy Sovereignty Grant

Posted in energy access, energy poverty, Innovation, MSL news, partners, R&D, research, workforce

MSL, Rochester Institute of Technology, and Navajo Technical University have been awarded a grant from the Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN) program to further the partners’ work with Native American communities in the tribal energy sovereignty area. PIT-UN’s mission is to help advance the field of public interest technology to bring positive impact to communities around the globe. MSL’s Energy Sovereignty Institute (ESI) initiative will also participate. (more…)


Oct 06 2022 by David Breecker

MSL, NMSU, NREL Awarded DOE Research Grant

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

Update October 6, 2022: MSL, New Mexico State University, and The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (an MSL Member) have been awarded a grant by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) program, for Building EPSCoR-State/DOE-National Laboratory Partnerships. The team’s proposal, “Building a federated learning framework for trustworthy and resilient energy internet of things (eIoT) infrastructure,” focuses on Federated Machine Learning (FML), and the research funded will approach several FML-related aspects of smart grid data architectures and applications. (more…)


Aug 25 2022 2Commentsby David Breecker

Update: Resilient El Rito project awarded engineering funds

Posted in Innovation, MSL news, partners, pilot projects, R&D, research, Uncategorized, workforce

Update 2/17/23: The Resilient El Rito community resilience microgrid demonstration project with Northern New Mexico College has awarded the engineering stage contract to Kit Carson Electric Coop. Work will begin presently, and we hope to move on to construction soon.

Update 8/25/22: The the NM Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Dept. (EMNRD) has recommended the Resilient El Rito project for engineering stage funding through its Grid Modernization program.  We expect this work could commence at the start of the new year, with Northern NM College as the primary recipient. In addition, EMNRD advises that they expect there will be federal funds available for the construction stage when we complete engineering, for which Kit Carson Electric Coop can compete. (more…)


May 25 2022 by David Breecker

You’re invited! MSL produces 3rd Annual NM Energy Summit

Posted in Innovation, MSL news, partners, R&D, research, Uncategorized, workforce

MSL is once again producing the annual NM Distributed Energy Summit (virtual). Please join us on Zoom for this important event:

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Apr 13 2022 by David Breecker

MSL Teams with NMSU, NREL for DOE Proposal

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

MSL has teamed with New Mexico State University and The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (an MSL Member) for a proposal to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) program, for a Building EPSCoR-State/DOE-National Laboratory Partnerships grant. The team’s proposal, “Building a federated learning framework for trustworthy and resilient energy internet of things (eIoT) infrastructure,” focuses on Federated Machine Learning (FML). It was selected by DOE at the pre-proposal stage for full proposal submission, and it approaches several FML-related aspects of smart grid data architectures and applications.

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Feb 14 2022 by David Breecker

MSL Coordinates Industry Advisory Board

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

MSL is coordinating the newly-created Industry Advisory Board (IAB) for the NM SMART Grid Center, of which MSL is a primary partner and which is supported by a five-year NSF EPSCoR grant.

The IAB will provide feedback to the New Mexico EPSCoR Project Director, the SMART Grid Center Executive Committee, and the four individual research teams that are encompassed by the Center (SMART Grid architecture, networking, decision-support, and integration and implementation in physical testbeds like Mesa del Sol and Hardware-In-Loop environments). The feedback will focus on the relevance and value of the research performed by the four research teams to practical applications, suggestions for maximizing that value, and potential directions for sustaining research well beyond the remaining two years of the project.

We are pleased to announce these eight outstanding individuals and organizations who will serve on the IAB, and thank them for their participation:

Name Title Organization
Matt Cannon Research Scientist Shell New Energy Research and Technology
Jon Hawkins Associate Director, Innovation and Communication PNM Resources
Gary Oppedahl Vice President, Emerging Technologies Emera Technologies
Bill Kipnis Senior Business Development Manager Siemens Industry
Astrid Atkinson Chief Executive Officer Camus Energy
Bryan Hannegan Chief Executive Officer Holy Cross Energy
Peter Lilienthal Global Microgrid Lead UL
Luis Reyes Chief Executive Officer Kit Carson Electric Cooperative

Sep 17 2021 by David Breecker

Camus Energy Joins MSL Consortium

Posted in Innovation, MSL news, partners, pilot projects, R&D, research, Uncategorized

We are excited to announce that Camus Energy, a leader in advanced grid management software, has joined the MSL Member consortium. With a mission of “transforming the grid for a zero-carbon future,” Camus complements the MSL network’s strengths in research centers, utilities, and NGOs with its unparalleled software engineering skills and distributed systems expertise, developed over decades of senior network engineering management experience at ultra-high-performance technology companies such as Google. (more…)


Sep 09 2021 by David Breecker

Update: Resilient El Rito Project Applies for NM Grid Modernization Grant

Posted in Innovation, MSL news, partners, pilot projects, R&D, research, workforce

Update: Resilient El Rito has completed its design phase, and based on the results of the Sandia National Laboratories modeling (see below) is now entering the engineering phase. The project partners have applied to the NM Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department for a Grid Modernization Pilot Project grant to cover engineering requirements, and all other prerequisites to achieve “shovel ready” status, in anticipation of availability of federal infrastructure funds in the near future. (more…)