A bill to require the Secretary of Energy to develop an implementation strategy to promote the development of hybrid micro-grid systems for isolated communities.

To require the Secretary of Energy to develop an implementation strategy to promote the development of hybrid micro-grid systems for isolated communities. 1. Hybrid micro-grid systems (a) Definitions In this section: (1) Hybrid micro-grid system The term hybrid micro-grid system (2) Isolated community The term isolated community (3) Secretary The term Secretary (4) Strategy The term strategy (b) Strategy The Secretary shall develop an implementation strategy to promote the development of hybrid micro-grid systems for isolated communities, particularly for those communities exposed to extreme weather conditions and high costs of energy, including electricity, space heating and cooling, and transportation. (c) Requirements In developing the strategy, the Secretary shall consider— (1) establishing future targets for the economic displacement of conventional generation using hybrid micro-grid systems, including displacement of conventional generation used for electric power generation, heating and cooling, and transportation; (2) the potential for renewable resources, including wind, solar, and hydropower, to be integrated into a hybrid micro-grid system; (3) opportunities for improving the efficiency of existing hybrid micro-grid systems; (4) the capacity of the local workforce to operate, maintain, and repair a hybrid micro-grid system; (5) opportunities to develop the capacity of the local workforce to operate, maintain, and repair a hybrid micro-grid system; (6) leveraging existing capacity within local or regional research organizations, such as organizations based at institutions of higher education, to support development of hybrid micro-grid systems, including by testing novel components and systems prior to field deployment; (7) the need for basic infrastructure to develop, deploy, and sustain a hybrid micro-grid system; (8) input of traditional knowledge from local leaders of isolated communities in the development of a hybrid micro-grid system; (9) the impact of hybrid micro-grid systems on defense, homeland security, economic development, and environmental interests; (10) opportunities to leverage existing interagency coordination efforts and recommendations for new interagency coordination efforts to minimize unnecessary overhead, mobilization, and other project costs; and (11) any other criteria the Secretary determines appropriate. (d) Report Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report on the status of the strategy and efforts to implement the strategy.

Summary: 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.