Case Study 4
Northern California Operator.
Project Issues
Manufacturing and processing facility built to service local outdoor grow agriculture operations
Service utility requires more than 2 years to provide a 2,000 amp service drop. The facility needs approximately 4,000 amps
Facility permit requires low water use
14 acre site has some, but limited space for solar
Service utility gas service is 5 miles away. A service upgrade would take several years at a cost of $4,000,000
Service utility rate structure includes very high “peak demand” charges. The facility’s use profile includes high consumption during peak periods, resulting in high electricity usage charges
Customer-Specific Solution
Use of photovoltaic (PV) glass was maximized by utilizing various placement strategies on available space on site. This included deploying fixed tilt arrays across open areas, reducing vertical tilt and optimizing space for shade reduction and maintenance
An added benefit of the fixed tilt array system and increased ground cover by the PV panels resulted in increased rainwater collection, thus reducing water demand
Energy storage technology was utilized to power the facility during the day, thus dramatically reducing expected service utility peak demand charges
A propane-powered microturbine combined heat and power (CHP) system was installed. Fuel is trucked to the site as part of a “virtual pipeline”
Facility cold storage cooling was reconfigured to run on recovered CHP thermal energy, reducing the electric draw from the facility
Lessons Derived:
This project demonstrates that a solar-intensive microgrid solution can be economical, and that the use of different generation technologies can be deployed to solve a number of site specific issues. This site has a lack of pipeline fuel, a very long lead time for utility upgrades, and permit-specific needs regarding water use and emissions. The technologies chosen in this case satisfy these requirements, speed the time to operation for the processing facility, and minimize the facility’s cost, given the load profile and applicable tariff.