This project will greatly accelerate the adoption of the MicrogridUP (UP: utility privatization) planning software (created in project EW20-5055) that will improve the process of microgrid development, operation, expansion, and collaboration within the Department of Defense (DoD) and build capacity among utilities and the military for self-performing microgrid planning exercises. Specifically, the objectives of this follow-on project are: 

1. To double the number of microgrid planning engagements and reduce the cost compared to initial engagements done under the first demonstration project, while expanding from co-op utility users to military, energy service company (ESCO), and investor-owned utility (IOU) users,
2. Transition from NRECA Research-led engagements to self-performed analysis,
3. Grow beyond business-as-usual scenarios, and
4. Integrate leveraged funding approaches beyond the existing self-funded model. 

The ultimate objective is to conclude the project with a repeatable, open core and services business model which would make MicrogridUP available universally to all DoD facilities planning microgrid deployments. 

This work will build on success the MicrogridUP project team has demonstrated in enabling military installations and UP system owners to quickly and accurately develop microgrid investment options to improve installation resilience. MicrogridUP is planning software that quickly identifies detailed microgrid investment options across a distribution system to improve resilience for critical facilities. It has already demonstrated 30% time and cost savings compared to alternative methods by offering a comprehensive and easy-to-use planning process that leverages utility input data preparation, distribution analysis, generator sizing, control modeling, resilience analysis, and financial projection. 

In this expanded demonstration and commercialization effort, the project team will be measuring further time and cost benefits across a much larger set of DoD end users as compared to alternative planning methods with a target of a further 25% planning cost reduction. The project team will also be growing the user base to triple its initial size and including new organization types (IOUs, ESCOs, direct DoD users), which will demonstrate the universal applicability of these tools.

DoD has set aggressive targets for domestic installations to utilize microgrids in support of all critical load. Following this project, the software will be (1) directly usable by all stakeholders active in microgrid planning with DoD and (2) financially self-sustaining. 

The mutual benefits of DoD and utility partnerships remain highly valuable yet underutilized. This project will accelerate the adoption of the MicrogridUP planning software, which will provide cost and time savings to both DoD and utilities, leading to increased installation resilience through optimal microgrid deployment and operation.