The Resilient Communities Maryland project will develop a community-based energy resilience framework that goes beyond traditional energy metrics using community-informed resilience metrics at the community level through robust multi-stakeholder participation and collaboration. This framework can be replicated and utilized across the state of Maryland to improve preparedness and recovery in the event of hazardous events and extended grid outages.

This project is possible thanks to support from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO)’s Renewables Advancing Community Energy Resilience (RACER) funding program and partnerships with DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Ayika Solutions, the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA), and the Baltimore Office of Sustainability

As the research organization for this project, Groundswell is convening local officials, community leaders, and decision-makers from utility providers in a series of open tables. These conversations focus on individual community needs and the potential for program replicability to ensure future resilience hubs will serve high-priority community needs sustainably for years to come. 

  • Building Trust in Empowered (LMI) Communities
  • Building Trust in Empowered (LMI) Communities

What is a resilience hub?

Resilience hubs combine solar and energy storage on a microgrid to keep the lights and heat or cooling on when the power goes off, which provides essential services for local members of the community. Resilience hubs are particularly important for the most vulnerable among our neighbors, especially our elders and the very young. Groundswell’s approach to developing resilience hubs puts people at the center by engaging community members to determine where and what services are a priority.

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Join Now

Join Groundswell’s Baltimore Resiliency Council and make a difference for your community by shaping community strategies to learn about energy resilience, share how your community is impacted by power outages and climate changes, and shape strategies to better prepare your community for emergency situations. The council will be made up of community members and will meet for two-hour sessions once a month for six months beginning in November 2023. Meetings may be held virtually or in person.

Resiliency Council members will receive compensation in recognition of their time and contributions.

If you are interested in joining the Baltimore Resiliency Council, click below. 

Partners

Partners