The Economic and Fiscal Impact of a Microgrid in Downtown Cleveland, Ohio

Citation:  Thomas, Andrew R.; Henning, Mark; Date, Kirby; and Simons, Robert A., “The Economic and Fiscal Impact of a Microgrid in Downtown Cleveland, Ohio” (2018). Urban Publications. 0 1 2 3 1560.

This report relates the results of an investigation into market conditions for a proposed microgrid in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, as well the potential for additional jobs, income, and tax revenues that might accompany such an enterprise. Power interruptions have been estimated to cost commercial and industrial customers more than $100 billion each year in the United States.1 Because microgrids can reduce or eliminate power disruptions, the proposed microgrid could position Cleveland to capture growth among those industries that experience relatively greater losses when power outages occur. This includes momentary interruptions, which account for a “substantial portion”2 of such costs. The improved quality, reliability, resiliency, and security associated with a Cleveland microgrid could offer a locational advantage in attracting companies for which a power interruption is particularly costly. Access to clean, distributed generation is also an attribute that is of significant interest to commercial end users. Read More »