Applicants may utilize awarded funds for a variety of resiliency planning and project development uses. Proposed projects: 1. Must increase the resilience of the electric grid from extreme weather or malicious physical or cyberattacks. In addition, projects may meet the following preferred program goals: 2. May develop or improve carbon-free distributed energy resources in the state. “Carbon-free” means a technology that generates electricity without emitting carbon dioxide. Minn. Stat. § 216B.1691 Subd. 1(c). 3. May improve a utility’s ability to add load growth resulting from strategic electrification and electrification of transportation. "Strategic electrification" per Minn. Stat. § 216B.2427 Sub.1(q) means the installation of electric end-use equipment in an existing building in which natural gas is a primary or back-up fuel source, or in a newly constructed building in which a customer receives natural gas service for one or more end-uses, provided that the electric end-use equipment: (1) results in a net reduction in statewide greenhouse gas emissions, as defined in Minn. Stat. § 216H.01, Subd. 2, over the life of the equipment when compared to the most efficient commercially available natural gas alternative; and (2) is installed and operated in a manner that improves the load factor of the customer's electric utility. Strategic electrification does not include investments that the commissioner determines could reasonably be included in the natural gas utility's conservation improvement program under Minn. Stat. § 216B.241.
