Microgrid Knowledge Announces Finalists for 2023 Greater Good Awards

Microgrid Knowledge has released the names of the 10 finalists for this year’s Greater Good Awards. The four winners will be announced at Microgrid 2023, which will be held May 16-17 in Anaheim, California.

This is the fifth year for the awards, which celebrate microgrids that fulfill a clear societal need and show how microgrids improve the human condition.

Awards are granted for Highest Recognition for a Microgrid Serving the Greater Good, Greater Good Award for a Grid-Connected Microgrid and Greater Good Award for a Remote Microgrid.

Additionally, Microgrid Knowledge will present the Greater Good Award for a Local Microgrid in the conference’s host state, which is California this year.

An independent panel of judges selects the winners. The panel is made up of representatives from nonprofit organizations and journalists (not affiliated with Microgrid Knowledge).

“The finalists this year showcase why microgrids are becoming a crucial resource almost everywhere — from remote, marginalized communities to urban campus settings,” said Elisa Wood, editor-in-chief of Microgrid Knowledge. “They also reveal how local energy is evolving to serve customers, communities and the grid in increasingly sophisticated ways.”

2023 nominees

Microgrid Knowledge received nearly 30 nominations this year. Culled from those, the 10 finalists vying for the four awards are:

• Adjuntas Microgrid, Adjuntas, Puerto Rico (Honnold Foundation, Community Solar Energy Association of Adjuntas [ACESA]).
• Atutu Solar Microgrid, Northern Myanmar (Atutu).
• Dulagon Mesh Grid, Village of Dulagon, Artibonite Department, Haiti (Okra Solar, Alina Eneji, OGEF Haiti).
• Hope Studio Microgrid, Kakuma Refugee Camp in northwestern Turkana County, Kenya (Empowered by Light, Center for Alternative Technologies, Sunrise Studios Collective).
• Gallaudet University Microgrid, Washington, D.C. (Scale Microgrid Solutions, Urban Ingenuity, CHA Consultants, Schneider Electric, Tesla, Mitsubishi, New Columbia Solar and Signature Renovations – Sworks JV).
• Middletown Recreation Center, Connecticut Department of Public Works (Clarke Energy).
• Nemiah Valley Microgrid, Nemiah Valley, British Columbia, Canada (Eaton, Xeni Gwet'in First Nation community, AMP Energy).
• Redwood Coast Airport Microgrid (Redwood Coast Energy Authority, Schatz Energy Research Center at Cal Poly Humboldt, County of Humboldt, Community Choice Energy, Pacific Gas & Electric, Schweitzer Engineering Labs, Tesla, The Energy Authority and TRC).
• Stellar Integrated Systems, Alta Verapaz and Huehuetenango, Guatemala (New Sun Road, USAID, Microsoft).
• Utilities 2.0 Uganda Pilot, Kampala district, Uganda (Power for All, Equatorial Power, Umeme, The Rockefeller Foundation, East African Power, Energrow).

2022 winners

Last year’s winners were:

• Highest Recognition for a Microgrid Serving the Greater Good: Kudagaon Village Microgrid, (SunMoksha Power, Athmallik Tehsil, Angul District, Odisha, India).
• Grid-Connected Microgrid: Santa Rosa Junior College Microgrid (Worley, Pacific Gas & Electric, PXiSE, Center for Sustainable Energy, California Energy Commission, Go Electric).
• Remote Microgrid: Sato Medical Health Center Microgrid, (Global Himalayan Expedition, Village Sato, Durbuk, Ladakh, India.
• Host state (Pennsylvania): Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center Microgrid (Pennsylvania State University, Cogen Power Technologies, CHA Generation and Energy Management, RMF Engineering) in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Runners up in 2022 were the Footprint Project (Footprint Project, Schneider Electric), Monash Microgrid (Monash University, Indra, AZZO), Shungnak Community Microgrid (Ageto Energy, Alaska Village Electric Cooperative, Alaska Native Renewable Industries, Blue Planet Energy, Launch Alaska, Northwest Arctic Native Association, NW Arctic Borough, Daylight Energy Services), and Pittsburgh International Airport Microgrid (Peoples Gas, IMG Energy Solutions, EIS Solar, PJ Dick).

This year’s judges are Patrice Calise, copy editor at S&P Global Market Intelligence; Housley Carr, writer/analyst at RBN Energy; Melissa Marshall, director of policy and programs at The Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies; Mary Powers, special correspondent, Engineering News-Record and Will Heegaard, founder and operations director at Footprint Project.