PROJECT
12
Sagehen Microgrid
The new Sagehan Microgrid will provide the power needed to operate the facility and support the full system. It also allows Liberty, who delivers electricity to customers in the Tahoe-Truckee area, to de-energize four miles of power line in the high fire risk summer months. The microgrid will consist of 48 solar panels and 53kWh of battery storage system with a backup propane generator. This complete system is expected to operate on greater than 95% renewable energy. The generator is available to provide power only when there is insufficient charge in the batteries or during no or low solar energy production. The major equipment will be housed in a climate-controlled storage container on a concrete pad, safe from the elements.
It reduces both wildfire risk to the region and provides power generation and balancing to the full system. This project was a transmission and distribution deferral project. However, in order to harden the line for wildfire mitigation, it would have required significant time for environmental permitting, and over $3Million in Capital costs. The Microgrid was a more efficient and cost-effective solution for all customers. Similar microgrid projects will continue to add renewable electricity generation to the system as well as provide greater flexibility and reliability to customers.
The microgrid is a decentralized electric source and distribution that can provide electric power to an isolated area of the electrical distribution system and be synchronized with the full system, providing additional power and load balancing.
CoE 2020: Electricity Innovation • Canadian Electricity association 27
