A new solar and energy storage microgrid is helping the Occidental Arts & Ecology Center (OAEC) live out its mission to protect ecological diversity and grow regional-scale community climate resilience.
The rural Sonoma County, California, nonprofit recently installed the microgrid in partnership with RE-volv, a nonprofit dedicated to expanding clean energy access, and Vital Energy Solutions, a local installer.
The microgrid is designed to fully power the 80-acre organic farm and resilience demonstration site year-round. The system includes 124 kW of solar generated by 270 solar panels, some of which are mounted on carports equipped with EV chargers.
A 540-kWh battery energy storage system provides resilience and allows OAEC to maintain operations in the event of a grid outage or public safety power shutoffs, which are common in the wildfire-prone region.
“Solar power is a good answer to a bunch of questions – how we can create our own electricity, build community resilience and lower our carbon footprint,” said Dave Henson, executive director of OAEC.
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