When Cara Johnson applied to the Department of Energy’s Energy Innovator Fellowship Program, she knew she wanted to work with an organization that positively impacts the lives of people in rural America.

For Johnson, the rural way of life is deeply personal.

“My mom lives in a remote part of Missouri where our water is delivered to us bi-weekly, stored in a cistern, and we rely on a propane tank,” Johnson said. “For the last few years, I’ve seen how rural communities are often overlooked. It’s important to me to serve people like my mom, who deserve reliable access to resources just like everyone else.”

This year, Johnson’s hope of serving communities like her mother’s became a reality when she was paired with North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives as part of the fellowship. She is now working with teams focused on creating scalable microgrids that can be replicated across the state, benefiting rural communities.

Introduction into energy

Johnson’s journey to the energy sector has been unconventional. She earned a bachelor’s degree in media studies from the University of Tulsa, with minors in biomedical engineering, dance, Spanish and health sciences. These diverse accomplishments eventually led her to pursue a master’s degree in sustainability at Texas State University, where she worked on her thesis, “Powering Equity Through Energy: Microgrids as a Medium for Community Sustainability.” She says her thesis focused on empowering communities with resilience through reliable, equitable access to energy in communities of color in Texas.

Her research exposed her to a career in energy.

“That thesis helped me understand what it means to work with organizations that are on the ground, impacting local communities,” Johnson said. “As I learn more about the technical side of microgrids and the engineering behind them, I hope to apply my previous knowledge and skills to what North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives are doing.”

Johnson’s role with North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives also represents a full-circle moment in her career.

“I actually used the co-op microgrids that we have online here in my master’s thesis,” Johnson said. “The microgrids at Ocracoke Island and Rose Acre Farms were part of my research, and from the moment I first spoke with the team here, I knew this was where I wanted to be.”

Scaling Microgrids

As part of the fellowship, Johnson is contributing to the Microgrid @ Scale Project, which uses data from the co-ops’ existing microgrids to create a scalable framework that can be replicated across the state.

“This project will serve as a model for future microgrids,” said Lee Ragsdale, senior vice president of energy delivery at North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives. “We’re proud to work with Cara, providing her with valuable insight into our work while developing a project that could benefit all of North Carolina’s electric cooperatives.”

In just a few short months, Johnson said she has already gained a deeper understanding of the energy industry and the cooperative difference.

“Coming into this experience, I had done so much research on microgrids,” Johnson said. “But here at the statewide office, I’ve had the chance to put boots on the ground, meet many of the co-ops and understand their needs. I had the qualitative background, but now I feel like I’m truly making a difference in communities that matter to me. I can’t wait to see this project come to life.”