The MassCEC Community Microgrids Program: Program Direction, Preliminary Findings and Outcomes, and Lessons Learned
Tuesday, March 19, 2019 | 11:30 am - 12:00 pm
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has supported energy resiliency improvements throughout the state with a series of incentives and study programs aimed at public facilities, hospitals, and communities. As part of the current MassCEC Community Microgrid Program, Microgrid Institute is performing project feasibility assessments in both Eversource and National Grid territories. Community partners supporting the projects include, respectively, the City of Boston (Boston Planning and Development Agency), City of Pittsfield, and Town of Palmer, together with other government and commercial customers in the project communities.
MGI is engaging community stakeholders and coordinating the team's multidisciplinary assessment of technical, financial, and business factors, including cost-benefit analysis. All three of the studies being led by MGI will assess potential to integrate solar photovoltaic generation together with battery energy storage to support resilient energy service for critical facilities in the microgrid areas. Additional resources and technology options being analyzed include hydropower and natural gas-fired combined heat and power, in multiple configurations including new district heating and cooling networks.
During this session, Microgrid Institute Washington Counsel Michael Zimmer will discuss Massachusetts the direction and outcomes of energy resiliency programs, as well as preliminary findings, outcomes, and lessons learned from MGI's feasibility assessment work in Massachusetts.
Speaker
MGI is engaging community stakeholders and coordinating the team's multidisciplinary assessment of technical, financial, and business factors, including cost-benefit analysis. All three of the studies being led by MGI will assess potential to integrate solar photovoltaic generation together with battery energy storage to support resilient energy service for critical facilities in the microgrid areas. Additional resources and technology options being analyzed include hydropower and natural gas-fired combined heat and power, in multiple configurations including new district heating and cooling networks.
During this session, Microgrid Institute Washington Counsel Michael Zimmer will discuss Massachusetts the direction and outcomes of energy resiliency programs, as well as preliminary findings, outcomes, and lessons learned from MGI's feasibility assessment work in Massachusetts.
Speaker
Michael J. Zimmer
Washington Counsel
Microgrid Institute
Mr. Zimmer is Washington Counsel to Microgrid Institute, and previously served as senior counsel with Thompson Hine LLP, practicing in the firm's Energy unit in the Corporate Transactions Group in Washington, D.C. He focused on natural gas, electricity, water and utility regulation, dispersed energy, cogeneration and micro grids, renewables and environment, and energy corporate acquisition and project finance transactions nationwide. He has been involved since 1985 in mergers, acquisitions, construction, development and project financing assignments in the non-utility generation, renewables, natural gas and electric, rural cooperatives, clean tech energy, emissions trading, and manufacturing sectors. Some of these transactions involve financings for some of the largest undertakings in the United States in these industries, with a composite value in his career exceeding $15 billion. He has over a decade's international experience on energy and renewables transactions in over 25 countries, and has served on the development of energy and infrastructure projects in over 35 states in almost 40 years of service.
He served as national co-chair of the American Bar Association Renewables and Distributed Energy Committee and the ABA's Energy & Environmental Markets and Finance Committees from 2008-2012. He has served in various capacities this past decade with the Capital Markets Partnership, the USGBC LEED Energy & Atmospheric TAG Committee, Americans for Community Development, the American Council for Renewable Energy, the Voinovich School of Leadership & Public Affairs and the Russ School of Engineering at Ohio University and the School of Business at Providence College. He has been a noted author and speaker on energy, utility, and environmental issues since 1978, and a lecturer and guest speaker at several colleges and universities.
Mr. Zimmer is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia, and focuses on development and finance issues on projects in North America, the Caribbean, and Latin America.
Washington Counsel
Microgrid Institute
Mr. Zimmer is Washington Counsel to Microgrid Institute, and previously served as senior counsel with Thompson Hine LLP, practicing in the firm's Energy unit in the Corporate Transactions Group in Washington, D.C. He focused on natural gas, electricity, water and utility regulation, dispersed energy, cogeneration and micro grids, renewables and environment, and energy corporate acquisition and project finance transactions nationwide. He has been involved since 1985 in mergers, acquisitions, construction, development and project financing assignments in the non-utility generation, renewables, natural gas and electric, rural cooperatives, clean tech energy, emissions trading, and manufacturing sectors. Some of these transactions involve financings for some of the largest undertakings in the United States in these industries, with a composite value in his career exceeding $15 billion. He has over a decade's international experience on energy and renewables transactions in over 25 countries, and has served on the development of energy and infrastructure projects in over 35 states in almost 40 years of service.
He served as national co-chair of the American Bar Association Renewables and Distributed Energy Committee and the ABA's Energy & Environmental Markets and Finance Committees from 2008-2012. He has served in various capacities this past decade with the Capital Markets Partnership, the USGBC LEED Energy & Atmospheric TAG Committee, Americans for Community Development, the American Council for Renewable Energy, the Voinovich School of Leadership & Public Affairs and the Russ School of Engineering at Ohio University and the School of Business at Providence College. He has been a noted author and speaker on energy, utility, and environmental issues since 1978, and a lecturer and guest speaker at several colleges and universities.
Mr. Zimmer is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia, and focuses on development and finance issues on projects in North America, the Caribbean, and Latin America.