San Diego-based EDSA and Viridity Energy, Conshohocken, Pa., recently announced a collaboration to technically support the microgrid project, Renewable Energy Secure Communities (RESCO), being deployed at the University of California, San Diego. When operational, the effort will result in the world's first use of real-time software systems serving as the “master controller” in a live customer installation. The project consists of UC San Diego demonstrating integration of on-site renewable energy production. UC San Diego's campuswide microgrid is recognized as one of the most technologically advanced in the world. The microgrid serves a 1,200-acre, 450-building campus with a daily population of 45,000 running two 13.5MW gas turbines, one 3MW steam turbine and a 1.2MW solar-cell installation that together supplies 82% of the campus's annual power.
The RESCO project at UC San Diego is funded by a $1 million grant from the CEC and $1 million in matching funds from the University of California/California State University/Investor Owned Utility Partnership Program.
Under the agreement, EDSA will combine its Paladin SmartGrid with Viridity Energy's VPower to provide the power system optimization and energy market optimization capabilities necessary to ensure the reliability, energy efficiency, and cost efficiency of the UC San Diego microgrid. The finished solution will combine the best attributes of both of its parent products, in order to allow UC San Diego to successfully manage electrical power generation and consumption. This solution will also allow UC San Diego to eventually sell excess power to utilities, other energy users, or on the open market.
