Project design and implementation

Designs that work

Making clean local energy projects happen

Our solar+storage and Community Microgrid projects can be cost-effectively replicated around the U.S., paving the way for the proliferation of distributed energy resources.

Solar panels in the foreground overlooking a brightly lit cityscape at night.

Community Microgrids

The Clean Coalition works with electric utilities to design and implement Community Microgrids. A Community Microgrid is a coordinated local grid area served by one or more distribution substations and supported by high penetrations of local renewables and other distributed energy resources (DER) such as energy storage and demand response

Community Microgrids prove that local renewables provide a reliable and cost-effective foundation for a modern grid — and they deliver an unparalleled trifecta of economic, environmental, and resilience benefits to communities.

Aerial view of san francisco bay area with color-coded zoning map overlays focusing on redwood city and surrounding regions.

Community designs

The Clean Coalition helps design Advanced Energy Communities (AECs), which strive to meet zero net energy standards for the built environment and maximize local renewables, demand response, Community Microgrids, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure (EVCI).

As part of the Peninsula Advanced Energy Community (PAEC) Initiative, we developed a Master Community Design for an AEC in a disadvantaged community in San Mateo County, California. The design included DER, Community Microgrids, and EVCI, with enough details for a shovel-ready pilot project. Lessons learned from this project will inform and streamline future deployments, allowing for large-scale DER and Community Microgrid proliferation.

Illustration of a fire department at night with two fire trucks parked outside, street lights on, and nearby buildings, some with solar panels on roofs.

Solar Emergency Microgrids

Solar Emergency Microgrids are designed to provide indefinite renewables-driven backup power for critical loads, such as police and fire stations, emergency operations centers, emergency shelters, and other facilities prioritized by the jurisdiction — providing environmental, economic, and resilience benefits to an entire community.

The PAEC Initiative included a design and deployment plan for a Solar Emergency Microgrid in a disadvantaged community.

Solar panels in the foreground with a background of a modern city skyline under a clear blue sky.

Let us help you

Looking to deploy a solar+storage or Community Microgrid project? Contact us to get started.

Recent news

The latest in clean local energy

Learn about our innovative projects and initiatives on our blog, and see what others are reporting about our important work.

Finding the Balance: Benchmarking Solar, Wind and Energy Storage Community Benefits Agreements

This blog post by the Clean Coalition details community benefits agreements for clean energy projects

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Non-Energy Benefits and Social Costs: Properly Valuing Distributed Generation

This blog post from the Clean Coalition describes the importance of accounting for Non-Energy Benefits and Social Costs in Resource Planning.

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Kapalama Container Terminal Electrification Plan: Showcasing Sustainable Port Operations

This blog post by the Clean Coalition details the Terminal Electrification Plan for Kapalama Container Terminal in Honolulu, Hawaii.

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