Louise Blavet is a Regional Sales Manager for OPTERRA Energy Services. She can be reached here.

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Both the number of large wildfires and the number of associated grid outages have spiked in California in recent years. Numerous cities, counties, and even school districts are using this threat as motivation to improve their buildings’ resiliency. Those that have moved forward are reaping rewards, from decarbonization and community engagement to long-term cost savings in the face of rising — and volatile — energy prices.

Uninterrupted public services, with cost savings to boot

Like many public agencies in the aftermath of the devastating 2020 wildfire season, Solano County decided to improve its operational resiliency. The county installed microgrids at three campuses to ensure uninterrupted power for critical operations — a health and social services campus in Fairfield, the Fairfield Civic Center library, and the county’s Vallejo campus. Each microgrid consists of a solar photovoltaic system with battery energy storage and a backup generator.

Deployment of the microgrids was part of a broader infrastructure improvement program. The initiative upgraded light fixtures to high-efficiency LEDs, replaced HVAC systems, and rolled out electric vehicle charging stations. Cost savings from the efficiency and renewable energy upgrades, along with grants the county secured, made the microgrids affordable.

Now, the facilities can serve as cooling centers for residents during grid outages. Outside of emergencies, the sustainable energy generated offsets the buildings’ electricity usage, contributing to $1.8 million in annual savings.

The infrastructure program also included several measures that tied its work into benefits for the broader community. OPTERRA provided four residents with Civic Spark Fellowships to help the Bay Regional Energy Network. It offered educational materials inspired by the county’s infrastructure upgrades to students in juvenile detention. OPTERRA also contributed expertise and resources to Solano County’s science and engineering fair, as well as its Girls in Robotics Leadership Summer Camp.

Resiliency in the face of public safety power shutoffs

In 2019, the El Dorado Union High School District made resiliency a top priority after one school was closed for six school days, and another lost eight due to public safety power shutoffs (PSPS). “We had challenges around loss of food,” said Ron Carruth, the district’s superintendent at the time. “Expiration dates were passing during the PSPS, and we lost cold food because we couldn’t keep the refrigerators and freezers powered. But most important was the instructional impact on our students. Not being able to run our schools on a predictable basis created enormous disruptions for students, parents, and staff.”

The school district acted fast to create reliability in its electricity supply, building a microgrid of solar photovoltaic systems, battery energy storage, and a backup generator at each of its two most impacted schools. In the event of a grid failure, the microgrids draw power from the solar system and battery energy storage. If the batteries drop below a 20% charge, the generator kicks in to supplement the energy supply.

When the external grid is operating, the microgrids reduce energy costs during periods of high usage. All told, the district expects the microgrids will save a net $6.4 million over the life of the program. Most importantly, schools can continue operating during shutoff events and other grid interruptions.

“The ability to create a predictable environment where we can open and power our schools, and keep our students in class, regardless of what’s happening with the grid, is wonderful,” Carruth said.

Sustainability goes hand in hand with resiliency

Resiliency was also top of mind when the city of Menlo Park built a new community center in its underserved Belle Haven neighborhood. From the outset, the city wanted the facility to serve as a Red Cross–certified emergency shelter for residents during a grid outage.

Menlo Park included a microgrid that incorporates solar photovoltaic and battery energy storage. The microgrid can power the entire community center for 24 hours in an emergency — longer if nonessential systems are turned off. Whatever the cause of a grid outage, the community center is a cool, comfortable space for residents.

Menlo Park’s initiative also prioritized sustainability so that the new buildings wouldn’t exacerbate Belle Haven’s noise and air pollution issues. The solar photovoltaic system is moving the campus toward its goal of net-zero energy consumption by offsetting 125.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually as it generates clean, renewable energy for the community center on a daily basis.

The city is also leveraging its microgrid for cost savings. The community center microgrid is on track to pay for itself within 13 years and produce a net savings of $6.9 million over the equipment’s lifetime.

OPTERRA Energy Services partners with public sector stakeholders to meet the unique goals of communities nationwide. Our team customizes projects with top-tier technology to deliver lasting impact, enhancing fiscal savings and community engagement. To learn more about programs like these, visit opterraenergy.com.