U.S. Department of Energy Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations |
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| Award Title | Building the First Renewable Community Microgrid in Rural Iowa |
| Award Number | DE-CD0000063 |
| Name of Recipient Organization | Iowa State University |
| Budget Period | Budget Period: 1 |
| Principal Investigator | Name: Zhaoyu Wang
Title: Professor Email Address: wzy@iastate.edu Phone Number: 515-817-3624 |
| Team Partners | Anne Kimber, Director, Electric Power Research Center
Kevin Kudart, Superintendent, Montezuma Light & Power |
Budget Period (BP) 1 Status
The project vision is to transform Montezuma into the first community microgrid in rural Iowa, enhancing energy reliability, resilience, and affordability for approximately 1,400 residents and local businesses. All the milestone and FARC deliverables in Phase 1 till date has been submitted and few remaining milestones will be submitted in the due date.
Key accomplishments and challenges:
| Accomplishment | Challenge | |
| 1 | Submission of total project cost estimates, risk registers, quality assurance plan, and project controls discussion. | Fluctuation in material costs; unforeseen supply chain disruptions. |
| 2 | Completion of site studies and interconnection planning. | Negotiating for feeder easement. |
| 3 | Obtaining all the permits. | Conducting environmental assessment. |
| 4 | Completion of all designs and bid packages. | Aligning electrical and inter-operability requirements |
| 5 | Completion of NEPA forms and ECS. | Rerouting the feeder due to easement issue. |
| 6 | Purchase order of long lead materials. | Identifying reliable vendors. |
| 7 | Completion of project financial models. | Estimation of cash benefits from the project. |
| 8 | Completion of Phase 2 PMP. | Seasonal concerns for construction and market volatility in material costs. |
The team has adhered to project objectives and schedule. No activities will be needed to carry over to next BP 2.
Description of the Works for the Next Budget Period (BP 2)
The main objective of the next BP is procuring materials and contracts for deploying key infrastructure components such as solar and storage systems, new feeder, substation upgrades, etc., to enable microgrid functionalities and enhance resilience. The critical activities include:
| Substation Upgrades | Issuing RFPs for switchgear, control buildings, and construction; awarding contracts; delivering materials; performing site preparation; installing switchgear and control buildings; and commissioning through relay and electrical testing. |
| Solar and BESS Facility Deployment | Issuing RFPs for solar farm equipment and BESS; awarding contracts; delivering equipment; preparing the site; constructing foundations and installing solar panels, inverters, mounting structures, battery modules, and wiring; and commissioning via performance testing, inverter verification, and warranty reviews. |
| Distribution Feeder Construction | Procuring materials; preparing the site through route staking and utility locates; installing underground cables, conduits, transformers, and metering systems; and commissioning with phase tagging and HiPot testing. |
| Microgrid Controller (MGCC) Installation | Procuring the MGCC; installing and integrating it with solar, BESS, substations, and diesel units for communication; and commissioning by testing monitoring, control, and dispatch functionalities. |
| SCADA Implementation | Procuring SCADA software/hardware; deploying and integrating it with the MGCC and other components; and final commissioning through functionality testing. |
Key risk and Uncertainties: Risks include delays in bidding, contracts, or material deliveries due to vendors or weather, with potential scope expansion if equipment fails specifications, requiring rework. Schedule slippage from prolonged commissioning could increase costs via extended contractor engagements or additional procurement. Mitigation involves proactive vendor coordination, weather contingency planning, and rigorous pre-delivery equipment checks to ensure compliance and minimize rework.
Potential impacts: The Montezuma community will benefit from enhanced energy resilience and lower costs via solar, BESS, and grid upgrades. Workers gain skill development opportunities in renewables, though safety risks and labor demands require careful management.