The Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) is part of the Transportation Research Board and National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. ACRP receives funding from the Federal Aviation Administration and the organization established a competitive grant to build a microgrid toolkit for airports in 2018. According to ACRP: " The objective of this research is to produce a microgrid evaluation toolkit for airport decision makers and stakeholders which addresses site-specific criteria for airports of all types and sizes ." The project was awarded to the Rocky Mountain Institute's team that includes XENDEE, Converge Strategies, Barrett Energy Resources Group and James Crites. More information about the firms is provided below.
The Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) is an independent, nonpartisan nonprofit cofounded in 1982 by Amory Lovins, RMI's chairman emeritus and chief scientist. RMI engages businesses, communities, institutions, and entrepreneurs to accelerate the adoption of market-based solutions that cost-effectively shift from fossil fuels to efficiency and renewables. We employ rigorous research, analysis, and whole-systems expertise to develop breakthrough insights. We then convene and collaborate with diverse partners—business, government, academic, nonprofit, philanthropic, and military—to accelerate and scale solutions.
XENDEE is a patented, Software as a Service platform that provides techno-economic planning and analysis solutions for the assessment, design and implementation of Microgrids, Mini-Grids, and Distributed Energy Resources (DER) projects. Over $3 Billion in critical infrastructure DER projects are actively managed on the XENDEE platform. Some of our partners include Shell, Johnson Controls, Invenergy, the Federal Aviation Administration, the US Navy Information Warfare Center, US Army Corps of Engineers, NAVFAC Expeditionary and Warfare Center, the Electric Power Research Institute, Lawrence Livermore National Lab, Arizona State University and University of California-San Diego.
Converge Strategies, LLC (CSL) advises private, public sector, and military clients on advanced energy and resilience strategies. CSL focuses on energy resilience innovation in three areas: homeland security and advanced energy for states and cities, Department of Defense (DoD) energy resilience, and civilian-military energy partnerships. CSL currently works with partners such as the DoD, the national laboratories, and utility providers to deploy microgrid, renewable energy, and storage solutions for critical infrastructure.
Barrett Energy Resources Group (BERG) provides support to public and private organizations and companies seeking to develop energy and associated infrastructure projects. BERG's core experience is in working with airports and renewable energy developers to site and develop energy projects that are compatible with aviation businesses and their activities. BERG also has demonstrated experience in early stage project development, siting, financing, permitting, and stakeholder engagement for solar photovoltaic, wind power, tidal and wave energy, natural gas generation, submarine transmission cables, desalination, and microgrids in the US and overseas.
James M. Crites LLC is a transportation consultancy providing transformative and sustainable outcomes. James M. Crites provides services to public and private organizations seeking to develop strategic vision and associated implementation plans pertaining to transportation, energy efficiency, environmental stewardship, as well as joint agency/entity operational effectiveness, emergency management and security.