Port of San Diego Microgrid - Resiliency in Terminal Operations
The Port Resiliency in Terminal Operations Microgrid Project integrates four distributed energy resources: solar photovoltaic renewable generation, battery energy storage, energy efficient site lighting improvements, and a microgrid controller.
San Diego Unified Port District (Port of San Diego)
Recipient
San Diego, CA
Recipient Location
39th
Senate District
78th
Assembly District
$3,940,314
Amount Spent
Active
Project Status
Project Update
The Port of San Diego has completed construction of the microgrid system, including the battery energy storage system and solar PV array. The commercial operation date for microgrid system was received on December 22, 2023. The Port is negotiating the operations and maintenance service agreements for the battery energy storage system and microgrid controller. The Port is now paying for the solar payments toward the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). The Port will be conducting the Measurement and Verification Reporting throughout calendar year 2024.
The Issue
California ports are electrifying their operations to move toward zero emissions. The move to all-electric terminals will result in many terminals quadrupling (or more) peak power consumption in the near-term, while becoming more susceptible to electricity price uncertainties and vulnerable to operational disruptions due to losses of grid power. The Port of San Diego Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal (TAMT) provides critical functions such as jet fuel storage facilities for the nearby airport as well as processing bulk perishable food imports for distribution throughout California and beyond.
Project Innovation
The project will develop a new, permanent, renewable microgrid at the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal that can be replicated at other seaport terminals and distribution facilities throughout California, the U.S., and internationally. The project incorporates solar photovoltaic renewable generation (700-kW), battery energy storage (2,700-kWh), energy efficiency improvements, and a centralized microgrid controller to allow key elements of the terminal to remain operational when islanded from the electrical grid between 4 to 12 hours, depending on the critical loads necessary to support.
Project Goals
Goal 1: Demonstrate a repeatable model for renewable-based microgrids at seaport terminals, goods movement centers, and
Goal 2: Operate with renewable energy in island mode
Goal 3: Reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
Goal 4: Increase penetration of renewable electricity
Goal 5: Reduce electricity costs
Goal 6: Demonstrate a standardized commercial microgrid system
Project Benefits
The project will lower customer costs by reducing peak demand charges. Additionally, ratepayer costs will be lowered by reducing the need for electric utility infrastructure improvement through consistent management of peak loads from industrial sites, which are large energy users. The project will investigate different options to reduce capital investments and document cost effective options for ratepayers implementing similar projects.
Affordability
Affordability
The project will lower customer costs by reducing peak demand charges. Additionally, ratepayer costs will be lowered by reducing the need for electric utility infrastructure improvement through consistent management of peak load.
Safety
Safety
The microgrid will increase energy resiliency resulting in a safer staging area that can be used for emergency relief, supplies, and fuel in the event of a disaster that causes a disruption to the electrical grid, as a part of upholding the Port's role as one of 18 Strategic Ports (as designated by the Department of Transportation).
Key Project Members
Renee Yarmy
Program Director, Maritime Sustainable Development
Port of San Diego
Subrecipients
Electric Power Research Institute, Inc.
The Regents of the University of California, on behalf of the San Diego campus
Burns & McDonnell Engineering Company, Inc.
CLEAR BLUE ENERGY CORP.
Chambers Inc DBA Roof Construction
EDF Renewables Distributed Solutions, Inc.
Sillman Wright Architects
IMEG Corp.
Match Partners
The Regents of the University of California, on behalf of the San Diego campus
San Diego Unified Port District (Port of San Diego)
