Project Grant 02F50301

DESCRIPTION:THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING UNDER THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT (IRA) TO GROUNDWORK NEW ORLEANS. THIS RECIPIENT WILL PILOT THE INTEGRATION OF MOBILE SOLAR+ STORAGE SYSTEMS WITH A PERMANENT MICROGRID FOR LAYERED RESILIENCY. MOBILE SOLAR TRAILERS WILL BE PARKED ON SITE AND CONNECTED TO THE STATIONARY MICROGRID/GRID. DURING GRID OUTAGES, THE SITE WILL BE USED AS A RESILIENCY HUB FOR COMMUNITY FIRST AND SECOND RESPONDERS, SUPPLY AND MEAL DISTRIBUTION, COOLING STATION, AND DEVICE (COMMUNICATION, MEDICAL, ETC.) CHARGING. THE SOLAR TRAILERS WILL BE RAPIDLY DEPLOYABLE TO POWER OTHER COMMUNITY NEEDS THROUGHOUT THE AFFECTED REGION. IN BETWEEN GRID OUTAGES, THE STATIONARY AND MOBILE MICROGRIDS WILL ALSO SERVE AS ON-SITE EDUCATIONAL AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TOOLS.ACTIVITIES:ACTIVITIES WILL PILOT THE INTEGRATION OF MOBILE SOLAR AND STORAGE SYSTEMS WITH A PERMANENT MICROGRID FOR LAYERED RESILIENCY. MOBILE SOLAR TRAILERS WILL BE PARKED ON SITE AND CONNECTED TO THE STATIONARY MICROGRID/GRID. DURING GRID OUTAGES, THE SITE WILL BE USED AS A RESILIENCY HUB FOR COMMUNITY FIRST AND SECOND RESPONDERS, SUPPLY AND MEAL DISTRIBUTION, COOLING STATION, AND DEVICE (COMMUNICATION, MEDICAL, ETC.) CHARGING. THE SOLAR TRAILERS WILL BE RAPIDLY DEPLOYABLE TO POWER OTHER COMMUNITY NEEDS THROUGHOUT THE AFFECTED REGION. IN BETWEEN GRID OUTAGES, THE STATIONARY AND MOBILE MICROGRIDS WILL ALSO SERVE AS ON-SITE EDUCATIONAL AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TOOLS. THE PROJECT PARTNERS INCLUDE: THE FOOTPRINT PROJECT, HEALTHY COMMUNITY SERVICES AND SOLAR ALTERNATIVES, AND EDUCATORS FOR QUALITY ALTERNATIVES. SUBRECIPIENT:THE FOOTPRINT PROJECT WILL PROVIDE SOLAR CERTIFICATION TRAINING TO 5 GROUNDWORK PARTICIPANTS PER YEAR, 15 IN TOTAL. THE FOOTPRINT PROJECT WILL ALSO PROVIDE THE RESILIENCE CENTER WITH OVERSITE FOR 3 YEARS. HEALTHY COMMUNITY SERVICES OF NEW ORLEANS WILL PROVIDE COMMUNITY OUTREACH FOR 3 YEARS TO IMPROVE COMMUNITY RESILIENCE BY ENGAGING COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN SOLAR RESILIENCE EDUCATION. THERE WILL BE NINE TOTAL COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS AND TEN REPLICABLE OUTREACH AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS TO BE CONDUCTED. GROUNDWORK PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS (GROUNDWORK TRAINING) WILL BE TRAINED IN SOLAR INTERNATIONAL CERTIFICATION AND HAND ON SOLAR APPLICATIONS AND INSTALLATION. OUTCOMES:ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PROTECTION OF THE MOST CLIMATE VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES IN NEW ORLEANS, IMPROVE COMMUNITY RESILIENCE BY ENGAGING COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN SOLAR RESILIENCE EDUCATION, DEVELOP REPLICABLE OUTREACH AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS, TRAIN 15 PARTICIPANTS IN SOLAR APPLICATIONS AND INSTALLATIONS 5 PER YEAR, DEVELOP 3 REPLICABLE AND SCALABLE MICROGRID AND MOBILE DEPLOYMENT PLANS, AND SHARE AND COMMUNICATE BEST PRACTICES AND LESSONS LEARNED. THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE IMPROVED ACCESS TO CLEAN ENERGY IN THE MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES IN NEW ORLEANS. THE PROJECT ALSO AIMS TO DIRECTLY IMPROVE RESILIENCE OF UNDERSERVED COASTAL COMMUNITIES BY ENGAGING YOUTH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND BUSINESSES IN CLEAN ENERGY PRODUCTION; REDUCTION OF FOSSIL FUEL GENERATORS AS AN EMERGENCY ENERGY SOURCE; DEVELOPING OUTREACH AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF CLEAN ENERGY FOR DISASTER RESILIENCE; AND SHARING AND COMMUNICATING BEST PRACTICES AND LESSONS LEARNED BETWEEN THESE DISPARATE GULF COMMUNITIES. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE RESIDENTS OF THE NEW ORLEANS 7TH WARD NEIGHBORHOOD AN UNDERSERVED COASTAL COMMUNITY.