A Mi’kmaq community in southeastern New Brunswick is seeking proposals for microgrid projects that will cut emissions and reduce reliance on the province’s grid system.

The rural community of Amlamgog, also known as Fort Folly First Nation, has experienced multi-day power outages in the past, Kevin Woods, energy services director at the North Shore Mi’kmaq Tribal Council (NSMTC), said in an email to The Energy Mix. The council represents seven Member Nations in New Brunswick, including Amlamgog, which is working with Foresight Canada to launch a “microgrid challenge,” soliciting projects that propose cost-effective, scalable renewable energy technologies that enhance the community’s energy resilience, reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, and boost its economic self-determination.

Though grid connected, the geography and size of the Amlamgog community, which has approximately 140 registered members, “well support the establishment of a microgrid with embedded clean energy generation,” Woods said.

“The ultimate goal is to develop a community-led microgrid that enhances local energy security, ensures stable and affordable electricity, and sets an example for other Indigenous and remote communities across Canada,” Foresight said in a press release.

Amlamgog has already made efforts to build a resilient, low-emissions energy system that can function independently of the grid. In 2021, the First Nation installed solar panels on four of its commercial buildings with support from the federal government’s low-carbon economy fund. Last year an assessment showed that the community’s total electrical consumption in 2023 was roughly 50% lower than the New Brunswick average.

Applications for the microgrid challenge opened on March 13 and will close on April 25, with winners announced in May. An information webinar for applicants is scheduled for April 2.

Project proposals must integrate seamlessly with the existing network or a microgrid serving Amlamgog, and accommodate challenges linked to siting, feedstock logistics, and operating costs. Proposals will also be evaluated for their ability to reduce emissions and costs in comparison with using the provincial grid. Proposals that create a new revenue stream for the community, like selling excess power back into the grid, could be an advantage.

Asked if the council will be open to proposals that use fossil fuels—such as gas with carbon capture—Wood replied that “technologies that result in enhanced energy independence and lowering the community’s GHG emissions profile will be considered.”

This story is part of The 89 Percent Project, an initiative of the global journalism collaboration Covering Climate Now.