New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has set aside up to $30m to support projects to improve the resiliency, flexibility and integration of renewables into the US east coast state’s power grid.
Project proposals will be evaluated based on how they improve overall grid performance, reduce energy costs and support the state’s clean energy goals.
Modernising the grid supports the governor’s proposed mandate for 70% renewable electricity by 2030 and New York’s ambition of having a carbon-free power grid by 2040, as part of its ‘Green New Deal’.
Cuomo said: “A critical component of the fight against climate change is making smart and efficient investments onto our electric grid.
“Modernising New York’s grid will create long-lasting benefits for all New Yorkers through a more reliable and affordable system, while increasing resilience for extreme weather events and adding more renewable energy sources into our system.”
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is administering the initiative through its ‘High Performing Grid’ programme. The initiative is seeking proposals from electric grid companies, state utilities and academia to advance smart grid technologies.
Through a two-step competitive process, applicants will submit concept papers for evaluation, which will be whittled down a select group of projects for invitation to submit full proposals for further evaluation. Awarded projects will receive funding to move forward.
Concept papers will be reviewed on a continual basis and will be accepted through November 18 2020, or until funds are exhausted.
The request for proposals will have one of five categories: technology feasibility studies, research studies, engineering studies, product development, and demonstration projects.
According to NYSERDA proposals should include solutions that facilitate connecting clean energy resources to the grid; create innovative data analytics; advanced planning, operations, and forecasting tools; or develop cybersecurity solutions for the modern grid, and demonstrate how they advance the state’s energy goals including how best to advance the state’s 70% clean electricity by 2030 goal.
NYSERDA chief executive Alicia Barton said: “This NYSERDA funding will support the deployment of innovative public-private partnerships to develop, pilot and test the smart grid technologies and solutions that will accelerate our pace to a fully decarbonised electricity system.”