Category: workforce

Oct 23 2023 by David Breecker

DOE Funds Kit Carson Electric, MSL for 3 Microgrids

Posted in MSL news, partners, pilot projects, Uncategorized, workforce

MSL’s Resilient El Rito Project, Two Other Sites Funded for Construction by DOE

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has selected Kit Carson Electric Cooperative (KCEC, an MSL consortium Member) to receive $23 million ($15.4 million in Federal funding and $7.7 million in Recipient cost share) to enhance the U.S. power grid’s ability to deliver affordable, clean energy to American communities across northern New Mexico. The funds will advance the Building a Modern, Intelligent Distributed BESS for Resiliency in Northern New Mexico project to mitigate the impacts of extreme weather and wildfires, and strengthen grid reliability. (more…)


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…)


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:

(more…)


Nov 01 2021 by David Breecker

SFCC Educational Microgrid Commissioned

Posted in MSL news, partners, pilot projects, workforce

[Editor’s note: this news post is by Frank Currie, Lead Faculty for the Distributed Energy Systems program at Santa Fe Community College (an MSL consortium Member). MSL contributed to the microgrid’s conceptual design.]

After an extensive design and development process, the “educational microgrid” at Santa Fe Community College (SFCC) – also known as the “greenhouse microgrid” and the “nanogrid” – was tested, validated, and commissioned for operation in July, 2021. The system comprises an 11,000 square-foot greenhouse, a classroom/lab building, and several distributed energy resources. As of late 2019, the greenhouse and the classroom were fed from the campus electrical distribution system and a small (12kW) PV tracking array that had been built near the greenhouse also fed into the campus distribution system. (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…)


Jul 01 2021 by David Breecker

You’re Invited! Distributed Energy Summit ’21

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

MSL is proud to be producing this event for the NM SMART Grid Center, and we would like to invite all those interested to attend what promises to be a stimulating series of discussions on NM’s clean energy transition and its broader implications.

We hope you can join us! (more…)


May 03 2021 1Commentby David Breecker

MSL Leads Resilient El Rito Project

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

MSL is leading the Resilient El Rito project, a proposed community resilience microgrid project in the  village of El Rito, NM, based on and around the El Rito campus of Northern New Mexico College (NNMC). The village is at the end of a single electric power distribution line that traverses mountainous terrain and wilderness, and is subject to reliability and resilience challenges common to rural isolated areas, including climate-induced wildfires and winds. The project is a collaboration between NNMC and Kit Carson Electric Cooperative (KCEC), the local electric utility, advised by Camus Energy (KCEC’s technology partner) and MSL. (more…)


Sep 21 2020 1Commentby David Breecker

Distributed Energy Workforce Summit

Posted in MSL news, partners, Uncategorized, workforce

In partnership with Santa Fe Community College (an MSL founding Member), MSL organized and produced the first Virtual Summit on Distributed Energy Systems Workforce on September 10 and 11, 2020. By all accounts the event was a great success, with nearly 100 registrants representing all sectors, and peak attendance of 45 participants. The online workshop focused on emerging workforce education, training, and job opportunities in Distributed Energy Systems (such as Battery Energy Storage Systems, solar + storage, smart buildings, microgrids, and the evolving smart grid).

Extensive presentations and original videos reviewed SFCC’s Smart And Microgrid Training Center and training Nanogrid (both developed in association with MSL), including a virtual guided tour of SFCC’s new distributed energy facilities, and a detailed look at the curriculum being developed there by lead Faculty Frank Currie. (more…)


Nov 11 2019 by David Breecker

MSL, Penn State, SFCC Team for DESTENI

Posted in MSL news, partners, Uncategorized, workforce

Pennsylvania State University (PSU), a leader in microgrid and energy storage technology, distributed energy systems, and associated workforce training initiatives, has joined forces with Santa Fe Community College, supported by MSL and ProtoGen Energy, to develop the new DESTENI program (Distributed Energy Systems Technical Education Network Initiative). The consortium (convened by MSL) has submitted a proposal to the National Science Foundation’s Advanced Technology Education program for its initial funding in 2020, having reached the finalist stage of consideration last year.

The goal is to develop a widely replicable and industry validated Distributed Energy Systems Technician training program of curriculum components and certifications that will significantly advance the knowledge and implementation of education and training nationally in these critical emerging energy technologies.  (more…)