New Shoreham council directs town manager to send letter backing microgrid feasibility study

The New Shoreham Town Council on Wednesday, Jan. 8, voted to direct the town manager to provide a letter of support for a microgrid feasibility study application being led by the Block Island Affordable Housing Board and its representative on the project, Christopher Warfel.

The feasibility study would be a technical review only, not construction funding, and would examine whether energy storage and control systems could link existing diesel generation and photovoltaic arrays to power critical facilities — including the medical center, Block Island School, town hall, police, fire and select housing projects — during an extended outage.

Christopher Warfel, speaking for the Block Island Housing Board, told the council the application requires a town endorsement and that the housing board could contribute a site for energy storage near planned housing and existing solar arrays. "We have an asset of cash in the bank of a little over a million dollars and we have land in the Ball O'Brien project," Warfel said, adding that the housing board could offer space for energy storage and that nearby solar projects could feed the system.

Barbara McMullen of the Block Island Utility District said the utility supports a feasibility study and would provide technical information to strengthen the application: "We the Utility District is in favor of, certainly of supporting this grant application as a feasibility study. And we would learn a lot about how we could incorporate a microgrid into the bigger system." She said the district previously considered studying a microgrid near the school and medical center as part of another grant but prioritized other items.

Council members asked whether the application must name specific locations and whether the housing board is an acceptable applicant. Warfel said the application asks for locations and rationales but that the state and its consultants could recommend alternate sites if the project receives funding. Amy Land, the town manager, confirmed she would sign the town's letter if the council approved a motion to direct her to do so.

Council discussion also addressed siting concerns — including potential proximity to a historic cemetery — and the membership of a proposed project team that Warfel circulated. Warfel emphasized the application is a feasibility study and that the state's consultants would make final technical recommendations: "This is just a feasibility study and that idea may prove not to be a good one." He also described the energy storage hardware in practical terms: "...they're very regimented, segmented, template devices... they just set them right next to each other, and they wire them together."

A motion to direct the town manager to provide a letter of support was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote; the minutes record ayes and no opposing votes.

The feasibility study application is limited to five pages, according to Warfel, and the housing board is listed as the applicant while the utility district has agreed to provide a supporting letter and data. Warfel and McMullen said the study would identify whether energy storage should be colocated at housing sites, the school, or another facility and whether the microgrid should serve disadvantaged-community areas identified in the application.

Next steps: the council authorized the town manager to sign a general letter of support; Warfel said he would coordinate application materials with utility staff and the town. The feasibility study, if funded, would return recommendations to the town before any construction decisions.