neighborhood energy

Climable is collaborating with the City of Cambridge on a new initiative to support climate resilience through clean, local energy sources. We're working with community members in The Port neighborhood to pilot a clean energy microgrid.

Project Goals

The pilot microgrid in The Port aims to achieve several key objectives:

• Empower the community to take ownership and control of their energy supply

• Strengthen the neighborhood's energy infrastructure, making it more dependable and resilient

• Promote the adoption of cleaner energy sources that contribute to better public health outcomes

• Enhance energy efficiency in buildings throughout the neighborhood

• Introduce clean heating and hot water solutions to reduce reliance on fossil fuels

Why the Port Neighborhood?

The Port neighborhood has been identified as a priority location for this project due to its vulnerability to the anticipated impacts of climate change, such as:

• Increased flooding from heavy precipitation events

• Heightened heat vulnerability

• More frequent and intense storms

Given the high concentration of multifamily and affordable housing in The Port, a microgrid can significantly improve the neighborhood's resilience. You can learn more about the overall climate preparedness strategy for Cambridge by checking out the Resilient Cambridge Plan.

Project Progress

We have made significant strides in our partnership with The Port neighborhood. Some highlights include:

Microgrid Learning Events

We have organized microgrid learning events to introduce community organizations and community members to climate adaptation strategies and opportunities as they prepare for the impacts of climate change. Learning events aim to:

• Create a platform for mutual learning and relationship-building among community organizations, community members, and our team

• Build strong, meaningful partnerships with the community to ensure their ongoing input, support, and shared ownership in the development of microgrid projects

• Foster a collaborative environment where the community can actively participate in shaping the future of clean energy in The Port

Community Partnership

We have made significant progress in building strong relationships with key community organizations in The Port that play a vital role in the community. In collaboration with these organizations, we are developing projects to enhance their energy resilience and make progress toward establishing a microgrid. Our partnership aims to:

• Identify the specific energy needs and challenges faced by these community organizations

• Develop tailored solutions to improve their energy efficiency 

• Provide educational resources, technical translation, and additional support to help organizations better understand the benefits of clean energy and microgrid technology

• Work together to secure funding and resources necessary to implement energy resilience projects and lay the groundwork for a community microgrid

Energy Literacy

Climable is committed to making the science of clean energy understandable so it is actionable for all of us. In partnership with the City of Cambridge and Cambridge Energy Alliance, we created seven educational reels explaining microgrids, our community design, energy efficiency, and more. You can view them in several languages here.

Other Materials

Questions?

Write us at hello@climable.org.