EDF Renewables North America says its Innovation Drive Microgrid system is operational at the company’s San Diego headquarters.
The system comprises a 209 kWp solar carport, 182 kWp solar rooftop, 280 kW (538 kWh) battery storage system and 43 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.
The solar and battery storage system, managed by EDF Store & Forecast’s energy management system, enables onsite coordination of energy production and site consumption thanks to the flexible sources and forecast services provided. The fully integrated system reduces both energy and demand charges with controllable and predictable energy costs, and flattens not only EV load but manages the entire facility’s energy consumption patterns to reduce utility bills.
“By combining EV infrastructure with solar+storage, we are able to offer the lowest cost of charging – for both capital and operating expenses. The system made financial sense, particularly when SDG&E time-of-use rates changed in 2019,” says Patrick Kelly, director of EV operations for EDF Renewables.
The EV charging system was installed by PowerFlex, an EDF Renewables company, using their Adaptive Load Management (ALM) technology. This patented technology, developed out of Caltech, enables hosts to maximize delivery of electricity to EVs while reducing or eliminating the need for costly utility upgrades by managing charging dependent upon driver’s demand, building load, onsite generation and other variables.
The solar and battery storage portions of the project qualify for federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) if the storage battery is charged only by solar power during the first five years. In addition, the battery storage also qualifies for the Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP), which provides rebates for qualifying distributed energy systems installed on the customer’s side of the utility meter.
EDF Renewables leases the property at 15445 Innovation Drive in San Diego, Calif. for approximately 450 local employees. The company worked with the building owner and its property management team to implement the project successfully.
Photo: EDF Renewables’s Innovation Drive Microgrid system
