This bill requires the Department of Energy to develop an implementation strategy to promote the development of hybrid micro-grid systems for isolated communities, particularly communities exposed to extreme weather conditions and high costs of energy, including electricity, space heating and cooling, and transportation.
A hybrid micro-grid system is a stand-alone electrical system composed of conventional generation and at least one alternative energy resource.
Mandatory considerations in developing the strategy include:
the potential for renewable resources, including wind, solar, and hydropower, to be integrated into a hybrid micro-grid system; the capacity of the local workforce to operate, maintain, and repair a hybrid micro-grid system; and the need for basic infrastructure to develop, deploy, and sustain a hybrid micro-grid system.