Established by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Programme is a $10.5 billion investment to enhance grid flexibility, improve the resilience of the power system against extreme weather, and ensure American communities have access to affordable, reliable, energy when and where they need it.
Generac, in collaboration with the California Water Association (CWA), aims to integrate clean energy solutions with water utilities statewide. The total investment is estimated to be approximately $100 million across about 100 California water utility sites, particularly in Disadvantaged Communities (DACs).
“We’ve been providing reliable backup power solutions to critical infrastructure, such as water and wastewater utilities, in California and across the US for more than 65 years” said Aaron Jagdfeld, president and CEO at Generac. He added, “We are honored to be selected by the DOE to expand that scope by delivering these innovative solutions of clean, resilient, and efficient power for California and its grid.”
Under the project, microgrids, which will utilise battery energy storage and be managed by distributed energy resource management systems (DERMS), will form virtual power plants (VPPs) capable of delivering reliable load reduction during times of grid stress. Additionally, the project, with at least 55 percent of sites in DACs, will lead to improved air and water quality, reliability, and operational savings.
“I am thrilled Generac Power Systems project has been selected for funding and thank the US Department of Energy for their ongoing support of innovations that advance California’s clean energy goals” added California Energy Commission Chair David Hochschild. “This effort will install battery systems at water utility facilities across the state, supporting resiliency during local outages and enhancing grid reliability by offering backup power during extreme events.”
California’s electric grid is increasingly challenged by aging infrastructure, rising demands from electrification, and the effects of extreme weather. As an example, during a 10-day heat wave in September 2022, the grid was pushed to its limits, and water utilities played a vital role by providing backup power through fossil-fueled generators. This situation underscored the urgent need for more sustainable and resilient energy solutions.
The project will create an estimated 200 union construction jobs and 33 direct jobs, contract approximately $27 million with businesses majority owned or controlled by underrepresented persons or groups of underrepresented persons, and direct 59 percent of project benefits to DACs. Some or all of this project will be executed in collaboration with the Northern California Laborers, Northern California Operating Engineers, Operators Local Union, Teamsters Local Union, Laborers Local Union, Carpenters Local Union, Masons Local Union, or the IBEW Local Union.
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