Irvine Ranch Water District is working with Advanced Microgrid Solutions to install the nation’s largest network of energy storage systems ever installed at a public water agency. This award-winning project enables the district to store energy, making it available when demand for power from the grid is at peak levels and the cost for electricity is higher. Drawing from these stored energy sources saves the district more than $500,000 a year in energy costs and helps to ease the overall burden on the grid when demand is high.
The pumping, treatment and distribution of water accounts for nearly 20 percent of the total electricity consumed in California, according to the California Energy Commission. IRWD’s Energy Storage Project helps to ease peak energy demands, decrease energy costs for the district and reduce its overall carbon footprint.
The 7 MW/34 MWh network will use Tesla batteries installed at 11 of IRWD’s largest and most energy-intensive facilities: two water recycling plants, three water treatment plants and six high-energy pumping stations. These energy storage systems will be linked together as a network, providing real-time tracking and operational flexibility in responding to Southern California Edison requests for demand reduction.
IRWD is a national leader in sustainability and energy efficiency. In 2015, the district commissioned a groundbreaking study to examine the average amount of energy needed to transport, treat and deliver water to customers on a per unit basis (kWh/AF). Each facility – a pump station or treatment plant, for example – has its own “energy intensity.” The study provides IRWD with a complete view of its water-related energy use and will be paired with the energy storage systems to better evaluate and reduce the district’s energy consumption and costs. This is the first instance of a public water agency actively commissioning such research.
Week of July 30, 2018:
The energy storage system at the Michelson Water Recycling Plant went online on Aug. 1 and started charging and discharging batteries. Pre-construction work is ongoing at other locations.
Week of July 23, 2018:
Design and construction activities for the remaining energy storage system sites is ongoing, with the design of the Baker site now completed. Pre-construction meetings are scheduled next week for the LAWRP, Potable Treatment Plant, and Wells 21 and 22 Desalter facilities. Final testing of the batteries at the Michelson Water Recycling Plant is underway.
Week of June 4, 2018:
Pre-construction meetings have been scheduled, and work is to begin at the PTP and 21/22 WTP sites in the next few weeks. Plans for an installation at LAWRP are still under review. Energy generation projects at Baker WTP are ongoing and design drawings are being reviewed.
Week of May 21, 2018:
The commissioning process has commenced at the Michelson Water Recycling Plant facility. Construction of the battery systems at Wells 21 and 22 and Potable Treatment Plant will begin within the next month, with construction of the LAWRP system beginning shortly thereafter. A photovoltaic system is being designed at the Baker water treatment plant to interconnect with the battery system. Construction at Baker will begin in October.
Week of May 14, 2018:
The startup and commissioning process has begun for the MWRP site. A preconstruction meeting for the PTP/WTP project will be scheduled soon. Biweekly communication on the Baker portion of the project has commenced.
Week of April 23, 2018:
A preconstruction meeting will be scheduled in a couple of weeks for the PTP/WTP site, and staff is collecting data on design and schedule constraints for the Baker treatment facility.
Week of April 09, 2018:
Advanced Micro Systems and Tesla have started the commissioning process, which will take several weeks.
Week of April 5, 2018:
Batteries have been delivered and connected. Tesla arrived in late March to begin testing and commissioning. The next facility designated for the Energy Storage system will be the Los Alisos Water Recycling Plant, with construction to start in May.
Week of Feb. 19, 2018:
Tesla battery packs are scheduled to arrive at the Michelson Waster Recycling Plant in early March.
To date, the systems have been installed at the following locations:
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