1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to energy; appropriating money for microgrid research and application.
1.3 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.4 	Section 1. APPROPRIATION; UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS CENTER FOR 
1.5 	MICROGRID RESEARCH.
 1.6 	(a) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 116C.779, subdivision 1, paragraph (j), 
1.7 	$3,000,000 in fiscal year 2024 and $400,000 in fiscal year 2025 are appropriated from the 
1.8 	renewable development account established in Minnesota Statutes, section 116C.779, 
1.9 	subdivision 1, to the commissioner of commerce for transfer to the University of St. Thomas 
1.10 	Center for Microgrid Research for the purposes of paragraph (b). The base in fiscal year 
1.11 	2026 is $400,000 and the base in fiscal year 2027 is $0.
1.12 	(b) The appropriations in paragraph (a) must be used by the University of St. Thomas 
1.13 	Center for Microgrid Research to:
1.14 	(1) increase the center's capacity to provide industry partners opportunities to test 
1.15 	near-commercial microgrid products on a real-world scale and to multiply opportunities for 
1.16 	innovative research;
1.17 	(2) procure advanced equipment and controls to enable the extension of the university's 
1.18 	microgrid to additional buildings; and
1.19 	(3) expand:
1.20 	(i) hands-on educational opportunities to better understand the operations of microgrids 
1.21 	to undergraduate and graduate electrical engineering students; and
2.1 	(ii) partnerships with community colleges.
2.2 	(c) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 116C.779, subdivision 1, paragraph (j), 
2.3 	$4,100,000 in fiscal year 2024 is appropriated from the renewable development account 
2.4 	established in Minnesota Statutes, section 116C.779, subdivision 1, to the commissioner of 
2.5 	commerce for transfer to the University of St. Thomas Center for Microgrid Research for 
2.6 	capacity building and matching requirements as a condition of receiving federal funds. This 
2.7 	appropriation is available until June 30, 2034.