Energy Storage, Microgrids, Solar  -  May 6, 2019

Camp Pendleton completes microgrid

Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is now the home of a solar plus storage microgrid. The Camp, located in San Diego County, is one of the largest Marine Corps bases in the U.S.

According to a statement from CleanSpark, which designed and deployed the installation, the Camp’s Communications Information Systems (C.I.S.) Operations Complex includes a data center, headquarters facility, maintenance and supply warehouse, and related communications infrastructure. The complete project receives backup power from UPS and traditional standby generators provided by other contractors. A subset of the critical loads is served by CleanSpark's advanced solar plus storage microgrid offering perpetual off-grid 100% renewable driven energy security through an all iron flow battery DC coupled with solar photovoltaic generation located on both carport shade structures and the buildings' roofs.

This solar plus storage solution operates in off-grid mode by default with the grid serving as backup. The configuration maximizes:

• Generation to storage efficiency
• Harvesting previously unusable solar power at early and late points in the day through DC charging
• System lifetime through non-degrading, non-toxic, and non-flammable battery chemistry

Anthony Vastola, SVP of Projects for CleanSpark, said, "There have been quite a few technology achievements on this project, but what excites me the most is the functional outcome. This is a hybrid Zero Net Energy facility incorporating both off-grid and grid connected renewable generation that work together to support project economics while also providing energy security. With strong system modelling, innovative engineering expertise, and effective microgrid control, we believe economics and energy security should go together."

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