LONG-TERM RESILIENCE

Building Long-Term Climate Resilience with Renewable Energy

Our experience in the field has taught us that preparation and community involvement is the best way to build climate resilience. We share local networks, cooperate with like-mind organizations and install permanent microgrids to help make communities more resilient.

After years enacting rapid disaster response efforts we learned that a larger, community-based plan would help people build back greener and smarter.

Our developing Long Term Resilience plans include:

Developing Beehive Microgrids in strategic, vulnerable locations
Facilitating networks of community organizations, grassroots infrastructure experts and supportive businesses at events like Resilience Fest

Beehive Microgrids™ Build Climate Resilience

Beehive Microgrids™ provide communities affected by climate disasters with rapidly deployable, sustainable infrastructure that can be moved where and when it’s needed most. These flexible systems serve both “blue sky” (nice weather) and “grey sky” (disaster response) needs as a renewable energy hub that provides shelter, electricity, clean water and a reliable space to gather and rebuild.

As of late 2025, we have one fully-functional Beehive and two currently in funding and development. As a part of our larger, long-term resilience plan, we will continue to seek support to develop more Beehives.

Are you interested in a Beehive Microgrid™ for your community?

Request a Beehive

- 30% available for “Blue Sky” uses such as office space, event use or community hub
- 30% reserved equipment warehoused to be prepared for climate-related incidents
- 30% equipment out at work within the community

Can You Build A Bee?

Footprint Project is pleased to announce our Request For Proposals (RFP) for a Mobile Solar + Battery Microgrid Fleet (Beehive Microgrid™) for disaster response operations in North Carolina.

PROJECT OVERVIEW:
In partnership with Land of Sky Regional Council and the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association, Footprint Project is soliciting quotes from qualified vendors to design and manufacture three (3) specified mobile microgrid assets ("Bees") that together will be used to provide regional resiliency support in Western North Carolina. The assets will be staged in North Carolina and deployed to support disaster response, emergency operations, and community resilience activities during power outages and other climate-related disruptions.

This procurement is funded through a State of North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and U.S Department of Energy (DOE) pass-through award and is subject to all applicable state and federal procurement requirements, including Build America, Buy America (BABA) and Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC).

The three required products to be manufactured under this RFQ are:

One (1) Power Bee
One (1) Water Bee
One (1) Cooler Bee

Specifications for these Bees can be found in Section 4 of the Scope of Work.

Each Bee must be a self-contained, mobile asset built on a standardized enclosed trailer platform, as described further below. Respondents may bid on one, multiple, or all Bee types, the Hive and/or associated services. Multiple awards may be made.

Questions? Email rfp@footprintproject.org

Proposals must be emailed to rfp@footprintproject.org; received no later than 11:00 PM CST on Friday, March 14, 2026.

View Full RFP

Resilience Fest: Collaborating for Sustainable Solutions

In late July 2025, Footprint Project brought together like-minded organizations and supporters in Black Mountain, NC to forge a future of reliance, cooperation and action in the face of increasing climate-driven disasters.

Over three days we shared, learned, listened, healed and became inspired to do even better in our field. Workshops and talks ranged from building a solar trailer to mapping our experiences with disaster to discussing funding grassroots resilience projects. Organizing an event like this before the next storm arrives allows us to reflect on the work we do within climate resilience so we can work smarter and better in the long-term.

Statistics

$50k in sponsorship

24 workshops & panel discussions

$100k+ put back into the Western NC Community

Participants in a creative mapmaking workshop document their experience of disaster by making maps.
Participants share their work from the “Mapping Your Personal Journey Through Disaster.”
Resilience Fest attendees listen to a panel.
A team collaborates in a hands-on workshop to “Build a Haven Solar Shelter.”
A group learns how to make a solar powered mechanical sculpture with artist Alex Nathanson.
Individuals from the Solar Art Workshop test out their sun-powered sculptures.
A group learns how to install solar on a trailer with volunteers from Schneider Electric.

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“The wide spectrum of organizations represented - from disaster aid groups, advocacy organizations, neighborhood org, clean tech companies, and government officials - it made for an unusual and impactful mix.”

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