Prototype to Production: Modular Battery Platform Project for California Critical Infrastructure
This project will scale-up manufacturing for a dedicated, modular battery platform for critical infrastructure (initially targeting telecommunication towers) and make it possible for the manufacturing to be in California.
Caban Systems, Inc.
Recipient
Burlingame, CA
Recipient Location
13th
Senate District
21st
Assembly District
$1,824,591
Amount Spent
Active
Project Status
Project Update
By 2024, Caban Systems had achieved its project goal and improved its manufacturing capability from a prototype line to manufacturing at the low-rate initial production stage. Additionally, Caban Systems has identified and purchased all required capital equipment (CTL, laser welder, end-of-line test equipment, etc.) and completed all regulatory certifications (UN, UL, and Telecordia). The final report is being worked on and close-out activities are being conducted.
The Issue
California IOU ratepayers are increasingly vulnerable to power outages due to electrical equipment and infrastructure failures, brownouts, wildfires, earthquakes, severe storms and landslides. This makes it imperative to accelerate the deployment of energy storage solutions to harden critical communication infrastructure (i.e., make it more robust). IOUs also need modular energy supply systems that can be deployed quickly to communities during extended power outages and after natural disasters.
Project Innovation
This project scaled up manufacturing for a dedicated, modular battery platform for critical infrastructure (initially targeting telecommunication towers). The high-energy-density battery pack has best-of-class battery management and control software to remotely meter, monitor, and control the units. The battery platform is designed for fire resilience and will withstand extreme temperatures. In combination with onsite renewable energy, the equipment can bring a cell tower under environmental distress back online. In case of Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS), the platform can power telecommunication systems and critical infrastructure for hours or days, restoring communication immediately after a fire, no matter the damage to the grid infrastructure or power lines. The modular battery platform also can be used as a pop-up energy source to be quickly deployed to disaster areas to restore electricity for lights, water, heating, and cooling.
Project Goals
Project Benefits
This project led to technological advancement and breakthroughs to overcome barriers to the achievement of the State of California's statutory energy goals by accelerating the production of an emerging, best-of-class energy storage technology that will improve public safety, lower costs, and reduce emissions. Ratepayers rely on critical infrastructure for connectivity to keep communication during power outages often related to wildfires and severe weather events. Currently, critical infrastructure, including telecom base stations, radio signal towers, and cell phone towers rely heavily on fossil fuel-powered generators for back-up power. To maintain communication during outages, there is an immediate need to scale up production for a clean energy storage platform that can provide services to critical infrastructure during outages.
Affordability
The project will lower costs for IOU ratepayers by reducing the need for grid extensions to critical infrastructure in remote locations.
Economic Development
The project expects to create new, direct, living-wage jobs through the scale-up of operations.
Environmental Sustainability
The project will provide environmental benefits by reducing or eradicating the need for diesel, propane and gas-powered back-up generators for critical infrastructure.
Reliability
The project scaled up production of a modular battery platform that will increase the reliability of critical infrastructure during power outages and peak grid hours.
Safety
The project will help increase safety by providing a modular battery platform that can be used as a pop-up energy source for communities when the grid is offline.
Key Project Members
Alexandra Rasch
Match Partners
Caban Systems, Inc.
