Project Outcomes Report: Optimizing Microgrids for Disaster Resilience

This project aimed to develop innovative microgrid models that can enhance disaster recovery efforts while explicitly accounting for equity concerns. Our interdisciplinary team—spanning Colorado School of Mines, Carnegie Mellon University, and Bentley University—focused on designing, testing, and validating energy systems that not only restore power quickly after disasters but also prioritize support for at-risk groups.

Major Activities and Findings:

Our first major milestone was a comprehensive literature review, published in INFORMS TutORials in Operations Research, that established the landscape of microgrid optimization and equity in disaster response. We then collaborated on building integrated models:

• The Colorado School of Mines team developed an advanced optimization model that identifies cost-effective microgrid setups using fuel cells and other distributed energy resources. They tackled computational challenges by implementing a multi-phase methodology that drastically reduced solve time (under two minutes) while maintaining high accuracy (average 5% optimality gap). Their results showed that smartly deploying fuel cells can reduce system costs by 8% and increase their usage threefold compared to conventional approaches.
• The Carnegie Mellon team created a power flow model to assess the reliability and technical feasibility of proposed microgrids within the distribution network. They applied this model to evaluate backup systems for Resilience Hubs—community centers designed to provide shelter and services during extended outages. Using multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA), they assessed tradeoffs among cost, emissions, and equity impacts. This work resulted in a publication in IEEE Transactions on Energy Markets, Policy and Regulation.
• At Bentley University, the team collected and analyzed historical and projected cost data for fuel cell technologies, which fed into the optimization model and helped test future scenarios. This was used in a simulation game for students.

In the final phase of the project, we integrated the optimization and power flow models to test real-world feasibility. The framework now enables decision-makers to identify microgrid configurations that are not only cost-effective and reliable but also sensitive to energy needs across different populations. We are preparing a publication detailing this integrated approach.

We also extended our model to incorporate energy load shedding and emissions, considering how outages—and the emissions from backup power—affect vulnerable populations. By analyzing U.S. communities with varying levels of social vulnerability, we explored how dependence on medical devices (such as inhalers, insulin pumps, or dialysis machines) magnifies the impact of outages. For example, reducing power demand coverage to 20% could affect up to 7% of medically vulnerable residents in a community. Emission reductions of up to 5% were achievable with only a 1% cost increase, especially when shifting toward solid oxide fuel cells. In areas like Carson City County, which experiences particulate matter buildup due to its valley geography, this shift significantly reduced estimated mortality.

Significant Results:

• Published a foundational review on microgrid design and disaster recovery.
• Developed a fast, accurate optimization model that significantly improves the cost-effectiveness of microgrid planning.
• Created and validated a power flow model that ensures technical feasibility of proposed systems.
• Built a fully integrated framework for planning microgrids with environmental and social impact metrics.
• Applied the models to three case study regions (Placer, Yuba, and Carson City Counties), identifying critical tradeoffs between cost, outage coverage, and emissions.
• Demonstrated that emissions reductions and energy delivery to at-risk locations are achievable with modest cost increases.
• Trained undergraduate researchers in programming, data analysis, and energy concepts—contributing to workforce development.

Broader Impacts:

This work directly supports the development of equitable, climate-resilient energy systems. By modeling how power systems interact with the needs of different populations, we provide tools that can help policymakers prioritize infrastructure investments for risk mitigation. Additionally, our emphasis on interdisciplinary training has empowered a multitude of students to engage with technical and ethical aspects of energy system design.

Through continued dissemination, including forthcoming publications and conference presentations, this project lays the foundation for scalable, human-centered disaster response solutions in an increasingly uncertain climate future.

Last Modified: 05/02/2025
Modified by: Destenie Supreece Nock