Demonstration of 15 kW Silicon-Carbide enabled OCC-MORBUGs
One-Cycle Control, Inc.
Recipient
Irvine, CA
Recipient Location
37th
Senate District
73rd
Assembly District
$1,001,450
Amount Spent
Active
Project Status
Project Update
In 2024, One-Cycle Control, Inc. (OCC) completed multiple design reviews and iterations for the 15 kW Silicon-Carbide enabled OCC-MORBUGs. The final design is near completion. OCC prepared a draft Factory Test Plan and is proceeding with subsystem testing of the components for the MORBUGS trailer. These components include the photovoltaic array structure, batteries, wind turbines, inverter, human machine interface, and trailer. OCC will verify that the product meets the design intent and is ready to deliver to customers.
The Issue
Wildfire events are causing more frequent disruption to Californian communities over time. During fire events and public safety power shut off (PSPS) events, power outages can negatively impact business, service, home, school, and emergency responses. Fossil-fuel backup generators are often used to power critical loads during these events, however, they are costly, noisy, and create pollution. Currently, there are very few clean energy mobile systems available in the market, and those that are, are not capable of providing three phase power. Therefore, innovative, more capable, and clean energy mobile backup generators are needed to provide renewable back up power during grid outages.
Project Innovation
The One-Cycle Control, Inc. (OCC) Mobile Renewable Backup Generation System (MORBUG) carrier system provides an alternative solution to traditional fossil-fuel backup generators. The OCC-MORBUG is designed as an integrated system that is locally self-sufficient. Powered by solar photovoltaics and wind coupled with onboard battery storage, the system is zero-emission, quiet, and mobile, allowing it to be transported to locations when and where power is needed. The system is also designed to generate three phase power (single/three phase AC and DC) which is often required by industrial and commercial customers. The MORBUG carrier has been designed to operate during PSPS events lasting 48 hours, with a power rating of 15kW.
Project Goals
Project Benefits
The OCC-MORBUG will result in ratepayer benefits by (1) providing quiet and pollution free backup power when/where ratepayers need, (2) increasing market adoption of clean-energy mobile back up power, (3) reducing electricity consumption, and (4) creating green job opportunities for LI/DAC areas. The OCC-MORBUG carrier system uses wind, solar, and energy storage to provide a mobile clean energy power source. The system also offers three-phase AC power in addition to single phase AC and DC power, which supports a broader market as existing mobile clean-energy back up power generators in the market are typically limited to single phase AC and DC output. The OCC-MORBUG carrier system can also provide clean energy generation during normal grid operations to power some loads such as charging electric vehicles.
Environmental Sustainability
The OCC-MORBUG will provide quiet and pollution free backup power when/where ratepayers need it. For the avoided CO2 emissions, assuming PSPS usage is 10 occurrences per year, lasting 48 hours at a time, 480 gallons of gasoline would be avoided. Each gallon of gas equals approximately 20 pounds of CO2, resulting in a 9,600 pounds of CO2 avoided per year, which equals approximately 5 tons of CO2 per year, per MORBUG.
Economic Development
Using MORBUG systems is expected to reduce cost compared to using a fossil-fuel generator that requires a continuous supply of costly fossil fuel and multiple fuel-burning trips to refuel. It is estimated that the avoided grid electricity usage during PSPS events is 2,880 kWh/year and non-PSPS events is 10,000 kWh/year for a total of 12,880 kWh/year resulting in a net saving of $1,932. Avoided fuel consumption of ~1,288 gallons with net saving of $6,000.
Energy Security
The OCC-MORBUG carrier is the first to provide clean energy for single, three-phase loads, plus DC loads with zero-emission for mobile back up. The OCC-MORBUG carrier is based on Silicon-Carbide-enabled OCC-4 wire inverter technology to achieve high efficiency, high reliability, high power density, and high flexibility of loading. The OCC-MORBUG carrier features a rugged design for on/off-highway and dirt road, on-board PV, and wind for quick deployment.
Equity
OCC-MORBUGs would create opportunities for low-income (LI) & disadvantaged communities (DAC) groups. Out of 5 secured sites, 4 are located in LI and 2 are located DAC communities. Furthermore, subcontractor Chula Vista Electric pursues outreach to high schools particularly in LI/DAC communities and encourages their pursuit of electrical trades from ETI-San Diego that provides employment as part of their training. OCC is located in a LI/DAC area.
Affordability
Utilization of MORBUGs systems is expected to reduce costs compared to use cases requiring a fossil-fuel generator and multiple trips to continuously supply fuel. The project aims to achieve a five-year break even cost of the unit, based on the avoided cost of fuel and the reduced cost of maintenance.
Key Project Members
Gregory T. Smedley
Subrecipients
Keyue Smedley
Chula Vista Electric
Match Partners
One-Cycle Control, Inc.
Keyue Smedley
