Gridscape tapped to develop solar microgrids for 30 critical facilities in Northern California
May 4, 2023
By Kelsey Misbrener in Solar Power World
Gridscape has been selected by East Bay Community Energy (EBCE) to develop microgrids for approximately 30 critical facilities across San Leandro, Berkeley, Hayward and Fremont. The project will see Gridscape install 3.1 MW of solar PV systems and 6.2 MWh of battery storage systems at 30 sites, providing energy resilience during power outages and reducing utility bills during normal operations.
The initiative is part of EBCE’s Resilient Municipal Critical Facilities Program, which aims to bundle small community projects into a larger portfolio to achieve economies of scale and viability.
The project is likely to take around 18 months to complete, with the main barriers being permit approval delays, utility interconnection delays and supply chain delays, although these are improving and may not pose a delay to this project.
This project will mark Gridscape’s largest deployment of microgrids under a single third-party financed PPA agreement, demonstrating how bundling small community projects can achieve economies of scale, making local power plant projects viable. To bring energy resilience to critical service sites in Hayward and Fremont, the program received a $2 million grant from Congress. EBCE’s initiative exemplifies how microgrids can be scaled up to provide energy resilience and cost savings to critical facilities across multiple cities.
“We’re excited to partner with Gridscape on our Resilient Critical Facilities microgrid portfolio to deliver a more resilient and sustainable energy future,” said JP Ross, EBCE’s VP of local development, electrification and innovation. “With their strong commitment to clean energy and successful track record, exemplified by their work on the Fremont fire station microgrid, Gridscape is the perfect partner for this project. Together, we’ll address the challenges of the rapidly changing energy landscape and bring sustainable and affordable energy solutions to our communities.”