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Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced yesterday the first round of funding for the $15 million Future Grid Challenge, a program to help solve technical challenges utilities face with energy transmission and distribution when integrating renewable energy resources into New York's electric grid. Modernizing the grid supports the Governor's nation-leading mandate for 70 percent renewable electricity by 2030 and a carbon-free power grid by 2040 as included in the historic climate legislation that was just passed by the legislature, the New York State Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.

"New York is leading the fight against climate change and prioritizing more resiliency and reliability during extreme weather events," Cuomo said. "These investments will add renewables such as wind and solar to create a grid of the future that serves the needs of communities across the state and drives us toward a clean, fully carbon-free power grid."

"Using the latest technological advances, New York will continue advancing our clean energy and climate goals by integrating renewables, driving down carbon emissions, and safeguarding our natural resources for future generations," said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. "This announcement shows our commitment to developing and maintaining the infrastructure needed to build the grid of the future and advance cleaner, greener energy across the state."

Administered by the New York State Energy Research Development Authority (NYSERDA), the Future Grid Challenge will offer funding to grid technology companies and research institutions that will address challenges ranging from the need for greater real-time system data to incorporating smart technologies and energy storage into power grid planning and operations. This initiative will have two rounds with each round addressing different challenge areas.

Alicia Barton, President and CEO, NYSERDA said, "Deploying renewable energy such as solar, storage and wind at scale as we transition to 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040 requires continued investments in innovative grid modernization technologies like those supported under the Future Grid Challenge."

In this first round of funding, up to $6 million is available for projects that partner with Con Edison and Orange & Rockland utilities with up to $3 million available per utility challenge to support development of technical solutions. Proposals should focus on:

• Helping Con Ed advance Distributed Energy Resource (DER) monitoring, control, data analytics and advanced forecasting
• Assisting Orange and Rockland with improving smart inverter functionality to provide seamless integration of distributed resources, improve grid stability and reduce system losses

Proposals are due by October 9, 2019. The remaining funds will be made available through the second round of the program later in 2019 with new challenges and utilities identified and included.

To prepare for this important initiative, NYSERDA's Smart Grid team has worked with the Joint Utilities of New York members Con Edison, Central Hudson Gas & Electric, National Grid, New York State Electric and Gas, Rochester Gas and Electric, and Orange & Rockland to identify transmission and distribution challenges that each utility faces. Together, these utilities provide electric service to over 13 million households, businesses, and government facilities across New York State. Each specific challenge was developed in partnership with the utilities, and each utility will participate in the selection committee for their respective challenge. To be eligible for an award, proposals submitted must specifically address the unique challenges identified for the selected utilities.

The Future Grid Challenge funding complements other NYSERDA smart grid funding announced previously, including the $30 million announced to support projects that develop or improve electric grid products or technologies, as well as the $5 million made available to enhance and support the connection of renewable resources to the grid.

NYSERDA's smart grid program focuses on advancing New York State's goals to modernize New York's electric grid by integrating new technologies. Since 2016, the program has awarded approximately $25 million under 55 contracts to grid technology companies and research organizations. A total of $110 million has been dedicated through 2022 under the Clean Energy Fund Grid Modernization Investment Plan to help modernize New York's grid. Recent projects include low-cost high-accuracy grid sensors, modeling and simulation tools, and advanced engineering solutions for more effective integration of wind and solar power. Learn more on NYSERDA's website.

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