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90 A P P E N D I X F Laurence G. Hanscom Field Microgrid Workshop Summary January 17, 2020 Logan Office Center, One Harborside Drive, East Boston, MA The Airport Microgrid Implementation Toolkit (the Toolkit) has been developed for the Transportation Research Boardâs (TRB) Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) to assist airports in evaluating the development of microgrids to sustain safe and reliable airport operations. More frequent utility outages have increased airport awareness regarding the importance of energy resilience. These outages negatively impact airport operations by reducing the effectiveness of safety procedures, causing passenger flight delays with ripple effects at connecting airports, and disrupting cargo operations, all resulting in a potential loss of revenue. In 2019, ACRP dedicated additional resources to demonstrate the Airport Microgrid Implementation Toolkit at a US airport. In cooperation with the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport), Laurence G. Hanscom Field (Hanscom Field) was selected as the airport grant partner. Massport staff worked with the project team, comprised of Rocky Mountain Institute, Converge Strategies, XENDEE, and Barrett Energy Resources Group, to use the Toolkit to assess the feasibility of developing a microgrid at Hanscom Field. Massport navigated through the Toolkit and implemented each of its modules, providing information and data necessary to evaluate a microgrid. As part of the Toolkit demonstration, the project team organized a workshop for Massport, utility, municipal, state, and federal stakeholders to review the toolkit outputs and discuss the potential for a civilian microgrid at Hanscom Field. The full-day meeting was conducted on Friday, January 17, 2020, and convened 22 participants from 15 organizations at Boston Logan International Airport in Boston, MA. The January 17 meeting had five main objectives: 1. Advance the state of knowledge for a potential civilian microgrid at Hanscom Field. 2. Review the results of a site-specific Hanscom technical and economic microgrid feasibility study conducted using the Airport Microgrid Implementation Toolkit. 3. Develop shared understanding of the energy and funding requirements to support critical operations at Hanscom Field. 4. Facilitate and engage neighboring stakeholders, utilities, and state agencies to identify and execute coordinated and complementary efforts to enhance energy resilience and clean energy. 5. Identify next steps for continued collaboration and energy project development at Hanscom Field.
Laurence G. Hanscom Field Microgrid Workshop Summary 91 and interactive exercises. Converge Strategies moderated two panel discussions with state and federal representatives, municipal sustainability directors, and airport tenants to identify policies, funding opportunities, and potential partnerships to support airport microgrids and other energy resilience projects. Outcomes of the Laurence G. Hanscom Field Microgrid Workshop: Meeting participants made progress in three distinct areas to support airport microgrid development as part of ACRPâs Demonstration Implementation Project: 1. Toolkit Improvement: Participants provided robust feedback during the Toolkit walkthrough, identifying several areas for improvement. More functionality is suggested with respect to load growth data to understand how new technological solutions would meet resilience objectives over long-term outages. For example, switching building thermal loads to electricity and the growing rates of electric vehicle adoption will increase the importance of reliable power. How reliability data and statistics are factored into the toolkit and how expected reliability results are communicated as an output were flagged by participating utility partners as areas for potential improvement. 2. Collaborative Opportunities: The workshop participants were convened to discuss the site- specific projects, existing policies, and the incentive landscape in Massachusetts and through state and federal funding. Participants discussed existing state and federal policies and grant programs that could be used to help fund airport microgrid development at the Hanscom Field and other Massport airports. Understanding the potential resources available to support energy resilience projects is important so that the airport stakeholders can make informed financial planning decisions. Current limitations of funding were identified to catalyze interest and motivation to make new funding available in the future for airports and other critical public assets. 3. Continued Stakeholder Engagement: Participants acknowledged over the course of the workshop that they had been unaware other stakeholders were attempting to solve the similar challenges. The diversity of perspectives brought by municipal officials, state agencies, military offices, airport tenants, and utility partners was required to advance complex energy resilience projects. Participants noted it is important to engage a wide group of stakeholders with at least one in-person meeting, and to communicate with utility partners early on in project ideation. Further, many participants made commitments to continue working together after the workshop. Participant organizations for the workshop besides Massport representatives included Boston Planning and Development Authority, City of Boston, Eversource Energy, Federal Aviation Administration, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, Massachusetts Department of Transportation, Metropolitan Area Planning Council, The Cadmus Group, LLC, Town of Concord, Town of Bedford, Town of Lexington, and the United States Air Force Office of Energy Assurance. The participants worked collaboratively through facilitated workshop sessions. They reviewed feasibility study outputs for Hanscom Field and provided feedback to refine the toolkit. After reviewing the toolkit and feasibility study results, participants brainstormed new solutions for Massport to advance energy resilience at Hanscom Field and across the Commonwealth. Activities included expert panel discussions
