Mobile Solar+Storage: Emergency Response in New Orleans with the First Beehive Microgrid

Prolonged power outages can result in a public health crisis, especially during extreme temperatures, with medically vulnerable or mobility-challenged people particularly at risk. In the wake of Hurricane Ida, two dozen Louisiana residents’ deaths were attributed to the 10-day power outage that followed. In response, New Orleans-based nonprofits Footprint Project and Groundworks New Orleans developed an innovative new model to help communities access reliable power during the next big disaster: the Beehive Microgrid Model. A Beehive consists of a “Hive”—a grid-connected microgrid powered by solar and energy storage (solar+storage)—and “Bees”—a group of mobile solar+storage trailers. Bees are charged and stationed at the Hive. During a power outage, the Bees can be deployed throughout a region to support emergency response and recovery efforts, providing reliable backup power for field operations. The Beehive Microgrid Model was first applied in the Gentilly neighborhood of New Orleans; Clean Energy Group (CEG) published a case study on this first project.

In this CEG webinar, Nate Heegaard, Associate Director of Technology at Footprint Project, and Todd Reynolds, Executive Director of Groundwork New Orleans, will overview the Beehive Microgrid and discuss the design, development, and lessons learned from the first Beehive Microgrid project located in New Orleans. The presentation will be followed by questions and discussion from the audience. CEG Project Director Marriele Mango will moderate.