Maintain power for critical county operations during power outages while reducing energy costs
Solano County, Northern California, home to nearly 500,000 residents, partnered with Opterra to enhance resiliency against public safety power shutoffs (PSPSs) due to wildfire danger, while also boosting efficiency and sustainability. Solano has been severely impacted by wildfires in recent years, with some areas facing several PSPS events each year, each lasting for days. County managers decided to develop microgrids to provide backup electricity during PSPS events as part of a comprehensive energy initiative to improve efficiency and reduce energy costs county-wide.
The project began with an evaluation of the county’s facilities. Opterra recommended building microgrids and upgrading infrastructure to improve resiliency and sustainability.
Solano County chose to work with Opterra to deploy microgrids at four locations: Beck campus, downtown campus, Vallejo campus, and Fairfield Library. The microgrids ensure power continuity for critical county operations during outages and include 2.3 MW of solar PV, 2 MW / 7.9 MWh of battery energy storage, and backup generators. In addition, efficiency lighting, upgraded HVAC systems and electric vehicle (EV) charging stations were installed.
