UD-24-02

• Distributed energy resources are technologies that generate or store electricity close to where it’s used – think rooftop solar panels and battery storage. Unlike large power plants that send electricity across long distances, DERs provide power right where people need it, helping to keep the lights on during outages and making the overall power grid more reliable. DERs can also include your water heater or AC unit, if you set it to NOT use power during a time of high demand.
• Vendor-neutral means that anyone can participate.
• Microgrids are a type of DER that can operate while the main grid is down. They are made up of different local energy resources, like rooftop solar and battery storage, that generate, store, and distribute electricity to residents and businesses. They are connected to the main grid, but can also disconnect and operate independently. Meaning if there’s an outage, microgrids can still keep the lights on.

This docket was initiated after a proposal from Together New Orleans and the Alliance for Affordable Energy asking the Council to invest up to $32 million in battery systems across homes and community resilience hubs, without raising customers’ bills.