Microgrid Design to Boost Energy Resilience at Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., March 23, 2017 -- Black & Veatch is partnering with the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus to design and assess the financial and energy efficiency impacts of a microgrid in Buffalo, N.Y. The microgrid will provide resilient, clean energy for the 120-acre campus, long-term cost-savings and potential monetization opportunities for member institutions.

The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus is a vital resource for the local community and is comprised of world-class hospitals, healthcare facilities, educational institutions and innovative biomedical research labs. A new microgrid would enable the campus to continue providing critical services during a potential power outage. Microgrid benefits would also include improved performance of the electric grid by better power consumption management during peak demand, increasing energy efficiency and reliability.  

Microgrids are integrated systems of multiple power generation sources and electric loads. When operated under a consolidated control and energy management system, microgrids can produce and distribute electricity and operate independently from the larger power grid.

“This project not only will bolster energy resilience and reliability, but also focuses on creating a sustainable business model for a community-based energy network that benefits facilities on the medical campus,” said Ajay Kasarabada, Black & Veatch Project Manager. “It will test, implement and evolve new methods of grid modernization and system efficiencies, and in the process, demonstrate how private capital can be leveraged to meet clean and smart energy goals.”

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) selected Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus to receive funding for the project as part of Stage 2 of the NY Prize Community Microgrid Competition. The institution was one of only 11 organizations throughout New York awarded with Stage 2 funding. In 2015, they were awarded for Stage 1 of the NY Prize, which supported an initial feasibility study. 

“We are excited to embark on the next steps to assess the feasibility of a microgrid that will further economic development as a platform for demonstrating the next evolution of energy technology,” said Paul Tyno, Director of Energy Initiatives at BNMC. “The scalable, sustainable design will include advanced software and control capabilities with access to multiple sources of power generation to allow more renewable energy resources to be integrated into our system.”

Editor’s Notes:

• Improving grid reliability was listed as the top driver for investing in grid modernization, according to Black & Veatch’s 2017 Strategic Directions: Smart City/Smart Utility Report. Download the report here.
• The NY Prize competition is part of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) strategy to build a clean, resilient and affordable energy system for all New Yorkers.
• Black & Veatch designed and implemented a microgrid at its World Headquarters in Overland Park, Kansas, that can operate as an independent power source or in support of the traditional electric grid. The microgrid system generates electricity through a combination of natural gas, solar energy, geothermal and battery storage, and provides enough clean energy to run the headquarters’ 12,000 square-foot Rodman Innovation Pavilion.

About Black & Veatch
Black & Veatch is an employee-owned, global leader in building critical human infrastructure in Energy, Water, Telecommunications and Government Services. Since 1915, we have helped our clients improve the lives of people in over 100 countries through consulting, engineering, construction, operations and program management. Our revenues in 2016 were US$3.2 billion. Follow us on www.bv.com and in social media.

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