City of Fremont Fire Stations Microgrid Project
City of Fremont fire station microgrids manage local, clean energy resources for greater reliability
The Issue
California needs to make better use of locally available renewable energy to increase resiliency and address climate change impacts, such as increased fires, severe storms, and heatwaves. Critical facilities are especially vulnerable to climate change impacts that disrupt the normal delivery of energy needed for their operation. Microgrids can help increase the resiliency of critical facilities such as fire stations through maximizing use of local renewable energy with energy storage.
Project Innovation
The project team designed and built microgrids at three fire stations in Fremont, California. Each microgrid consists of a microgrid energy management system, a parking lot canopy photovoltaic system, and a battery energy storage system. The automated microgrid control system manages local energy resources and loads. The microgrids are designed to provide at least three hours a day of power for critical loads during a utility power outage.
Project Benefits
Critical facilities, such as fire stations, are vulnerable to power outages, so having local, renewable generation decreases their dependence on outside electricity sources. This is the first implementation of microgrids for several fire stations in the region and creates a great opportunity for proof of concept to overcome risk and knowledge barriers to adopting high penetration solar PV systems and energy storage, demonstrate energy efficiency by optimizing power generation and loads, and provide increased energy security during utility power outages. The microgrids will help reduce grid congestion and increase grid reliability.
Greater Reliability: This project will reduce grid congestion and improve resiliency for the distribution system by combing local photovoltaic generation and energy storage, thus reducing the utility load where substations are near maximum capacity. The fire stations will be able to operate at least three hours a day during a utility outage.
Environmental Benefits: This project will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by using local clean power generation (solar photovoltaics) and energy storage when available. This emissions reduction will help the City of Fremont meet its greenhouse gas emission target and achieve its zero net energy goals for city government buildings.
Energy Security: The fire station microgrids will provide at least three hours a day of electricity to critical loads during utility power outages. The fire stations are vulnerable to earthquakes from the nearby Hayward faults, so having local, renewable generation decreases their dependence on outside electricity sources.