(Credit: Industria Power)The City of San Diego will soon be operating eight microgrids, saving an estimated $6 million over 25 years in avoided energy costs. Construction is moving out of engineering into mobilization and is set to conclude in December 2022.
Industria Power is the general contractor for this multifaceted microgrid project. As the project developer, Gridscape Solutions was awarded a California Energy Commission (CEC) Advanced Emergency Microgrid grant. Shell New Energies US will be the asset owner and operator for 25 years.
The City of San Diego prioritized eight building sites, including three recreation centers, two fire stations, and three police stations. The facility microgrids include 930 kW of solar photovoltaic systems, 2175 MWh of battery storage, and multiple electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.
The microgrids help the city to meet the goal of reducing electricity use by 25% of 2010 levels. This aligns with the City's 2015 Climate Action Plan to create a more sustainable San Diego by eliminating half of all greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) in the city by 2035.
The eight microgrids bring resiliency to the city, enabling dynamic shifting of the facility's energy load by optimizing electricity consumption and demand in response to grid signals and energy pricing. Additionally, the standalone power grids allow the facility to island or isolate from the grid and continue to operate during grid outages, relying on power stored onsite.
