Champaign, Illinois— One of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s (ERDC) electrical engineers earned recognition for her contributions to improving microgrid technology.
Melanie Johnson, a research electrical engineer and team lead at ERDC’s Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL), earned the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) Career Exceptional Service Award during this year’s annual Department of Energy (DOE) FEMP Energy and Water Management Awards on Aug. 7, in Washington D.C. FEMP recognizes federal employees who develop and implement exemplary, cost-effective projects and programs that cut energy waste and advance America’s progress toward energy independence, resilience and security, while also advancing federal agency missions.
The award speaks volumes about the significance of Johnson and her team’s work, giving her pride and appreciation for being honored.
“I am excited to see my work and that of my team receive recognition for the impact it’s having on Army energy resilience,” said Johnson. “It’s very humbling to represent the work and support so many people.”
Johnson’s award comes because of her work's lasting impact on how the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) bolsters energy resilience at installations with microgrid technology. Johnson is a founding member of the Army’s only installation microgrid research group, which was formed in 2008 when she joined CERL. During the DOD’s initial microgrid demonstrations, Johnson played a key role in achieving cybersecurity Authority to Operate, establishing new contact evaluation criteria, and developing business cases for DOD investment in energy resilience technology.
Johnson added how her work with microgrids is beneficial to the military.
“Microgrids are a key enabling technology for energy resilience. A microgrid uses electric power generation on the base, including backup generators, solar and energy storage, to enable the installation to remain powered during a regional power outage,” Johnson said. “That ride-through capability improves mission readiness and effectiveness. Beyond applications on military bases, microgrids are used by data centers, university campuses and isolated communities to reduce the risk of power disruption.”
Optimizing electricity to provide safety and comfort for others inspires Johnson’s work.
“I love that my work improving energy resilience helps keep people safe,” Johnson said. “Reliable electric power is crucial to human life and safety, and I hope my work contributes to our ability to respond and recover from disasters with less risk to the people involved.”