On April 1st, 2021 the Wisconsin Public Service Commission announced $7 million in grants for 32 renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. Of that, $2.3 million were for 12 projects that incorporated battery storage, expanding the reliability of intermittent renewable resources like solar photovoltaic (PV) generation. It was the most invested in state history for this advanced technology. Bayfield County was one of two local projects funded expanding the area’s resilience to operate in emergency situations. Red Cliff also received funding for a solar + storage project. On April 20th, 2021 the Bayfield County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to move forward with their project.
Bayfield County was awarded $273,714 for an estimated $527,884 project. Working with Xcel Energy’s newly proposed Resiliency Service Pilot program the project would combine electric service of the county courthouse and jail complex into a single microgrid capable of operating with or without the electric grid. The project will add additional solar PV and battery storage capacity. The two-county 911 system and data server will benefit from the increased resilience. The microgrid is expected to be operational by the fall of 2023.
One benefit of the new microgrid will be the decommissioning of the backup diesel generator at the County Jail. Nearing the end of its useful life, the generator can be replaced by the new system that ties together solar PV, battery storage and the Courthouse diesel generator. The three components working together will increase the hours the entire complex can operate without the grid, all the while reducing emissions by 50%.
The system will be controlled by an advanced “smart” controller that interfaces with the electric grid on a moment-by-moment basis. The microgrid controller will take into consideration variables such as weather conditions and forecasts, historic, current and predicted building electric use data, current and forecast solar generation, battery capacity and level of charge to optimize economic dispatch of energy. The system will be capable of “learning” to improve its forecasting capability.
Bayfield County partnered with Cheq Bay Renewables, Madison Solar Consulting and muGrid Analytics to develop the project.
Bayfield County was awarded $273,714 for an estimated $527,884 project. Working with Xcel Energy’s newly proposed Resiliency Service Pilot program the project would combine electric service of the county courthouse and jail complex into a single microgrid capable of operating with or without the electric grid. The project will add additional solar PV and battery storage capacity. The two-county 911 system and data server will benefit from the increased resilience. The microgrid is expected to be operational by the fall of 2023.
One benefit of the new microgrid will be the decommissioning of the backup diesel generator at the County Jail. Nearing the end of its useful life, the generator can be replaced by the new system that ties together solar PV, battery storage and the Courthouse diesel generator. The three components working together will increase the hours the entire complex can operate without the grid, all the while reducing emissions by 50%.
The system will be controlled by an advanced “smart” controller that interfaces with the electric grid on a moment-by-moment basis. The microgrid controller will take into consideration variables such as weather conditions and forecasts, historic, current and predicted building electric use data, current and forecast solar generation, battery capacity and level of charge to optimize economic dispatch of energy. The system will be capable of “learning” to improve its forecasting capability.
Bayfield County partnered with Cheq Bay Renewables, Madison Solar Consulting and muGrid Analytics to develop the project.