Another California winery invests in a solar + storage microgrid for resiliency and clean energy –

With wildfires and public safety power shutoffs, it’s not that surprising to learn that California wineries are eyeing microgrids as a way to boost their sustainability intiatives and also become more resilient.

EDF Renewables North America this week announced that sparkling wine company, Domaine Carneros, has asked it to design, build, and operate a resilient solar photovoltaics (PV) and battery energy storage microgrid solution that can island the entire facility during a power outage.

Related: Solar + Storage Microgrid Makes Wine-Making More Resilient

The 250-kilowatt (kW) solar PV system will be a combination of carport and ground-mount installations integrated with a 280-kW / 540-kilowatt-hour (kWh) onsite behind-the-meter (BTM) battery storage solution. Along with its integrated electrical infrastructure and controls, the microgrid system will allow the solar and storage to power the facility and maintain 100% of its operations during a power outage, reducing diesel fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions and extend fuel reserves up to a week.

Domaine Carneros is one of the first in the region to implement a microgrid solution that will improve resilience and sustainability while also reducing costs during grid connected and power outage operations. The resilient solution is part of a portfolio of microgrid projects that EDF Renewables is deploying with public and private entities throughout California.

The solar portion of the project will reduce the facility’s utility provider energy cost, while the battery system optimizes operations by allowing the facility to draw from the stored energy during the utility’s expensive evening on-peak period. The energy storage system will also reduce utility costs by discharging the battery to mitigate spikes in usage thereby lowering demand charges.

Raphael Declercq, EVP, Distributed Solutions & Strategy at EDF Renewables commented, “We are pleased to provide Domaine Carneros with security of energy supply in these times of uncertainty due to increased wildfire risk. The power shut offs and California’s rolling blackouts are emblematic of trends in prolonged power outages occurring in the wake of extreme weather events. Clean Microgrids represent the next step in solar and storage solutions reducing GHG emissions and supporting businesses during both grid connected and power outage operations.”

“Domaine Carneros is excited to embark on this project with EDF Renewables that will build upon our robust sustainability program and existing solar energy array,” said Remi Cohen, CEO of Domaine Carneros. “As estate vineyard owners, we realize the responsibility of operating in an environmentally conscientious fashion. This installation is the next step in a 33-year history of stewardship and leadership in sustainability initiatives.”

SEPA’s Jared Leader will lead a discussion about microgrids and resiliency in November’s DISTRIBUTECH Plus event in a session called “Compensating Resiliency: Developing Appropriate Tariffs for Integrating Microgrid Services” Learn more about it by clicking the title and register (it’s free) for details and to attend.