| Introduction | Project Summary | Study Areas | Reports, Presentations and Downloads | The Project Team |
This site showcases the work and conclusions of the Spring 2018 Urban Planning Capstone, completed by graduate students of the Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University. We present four months of collaborative work within the class, and with community stakeholders and experts in the field. Our task was an in-depth look into the feasibility of a microgrid, established and operated through public-private partnership in a substantial metropolitan area as a tool for economic development.
Cleveland, Ohio: a midwestern, post industrial city, is in the midst of revitalization and is planning for sustainability. A microgrid would generate economic development through attraction of energy-dependent busineses – firms dependent upon reliable, resilient power. Economic development would also occur through existing businesses expanding their operations and improvements to the grid itself.
Although the main focus of the Microgrid is economic development, we also believe this can be a tool for equity in the surrounding neighborhoods. The neighborhoods surrounding our study area are typically home to people of color and lower income individuals; workforce training and residential involvement should be a part of this ongoing conversation.