Montgomery County Microgrids

About the Program

Category: County Resiliency (Best in Category)

Year: 2018

Montgomery County, Maryland, is installing advanced microgrid systems to increase the resiliency of two critical facilities: Public Safety Headquarters and the Montgomery County Correctional Facility. The microgrids generate clean and efficient energy on-site and allow the County to deliver key public safety services during extended power grid outages while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This project serves as a model for other communities, not only for its use of innovative technology to harden facilities and reduce pollution, but also for its innovative financing. The County accomplished this project with no capital investment through a Microgrid-as-a-Service agreement. Under the agreement, the private partners design, finance, build, maintain, and operate the microgrids and make electrical infrastructure upgrades to the buildings. The County buys the electricity and heat generated by the microgrids at a pre-determined rate over the life of the 25-year contract. This unique financing strategy saved the County well over $4 million in capital expenditures. At the same time, clean energy produced by the microgrids solar panels and other energy efficient technologies are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as much as planting 94,000 trees.