Bowery Farming Adding Microgrid With Solar, Natural Gas And Storage
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November 15, 2018
Schneider Electric and Scale Microgrid Solutions have announced an agreement to design, engineer and build a new microgrid for modern-farming company Bowery Farming.
Under the terms of the agreement, Scale Microgrid Solutions will build, own and operate a proprietary hybrid microgrid system that leverages Schneider Electric EcoStruxure technology for Bowery’s newly commissioned facility in New Jersey.
The system will use distributed energy resources, including a rooftop solar array, a natural gas generator equipped with advanced emissions-control technologies and Schneider Electric’s lithium-ion battery energy storage system interconnected in a behind-the-meter configuration.
“Bowery has created a facility wherein crop production is already 100 times more efficient than traditional farmland, creating a greater need for reliable, efficient power,” says Ryan Goodman, CEO of Scale Microgrid Solutions. “Microgrids offer a compelling value proposition, but they’re inherently complex machines, and not many companies have the in-house expertise needed to make the investment. We’re excited to deploy an affordable microgrid solution in conjunction with Schneider Electric that will further reduce Bowery’s carbon footprint and provide critical resilience.”
Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure Microgrid Advisor (EMA), a cloud-connected, demand-side energy management software platform, will be integrated to optimize the system’s performance. By leveraging predictive and learning algorithms, EMA will empower Scale Microgrid Solutions to better manage the production and consumption of its renewable energy and control energy spend. The system will also be equipped to operate in parallel with traditional utility electric services during normal operating conditions and in “island mode” to ensure that the farm remains powered during unexpected outages.
“Bowery is committed to growing food for a better future, and we are excited to have found partners in Schneider Electric and Scale Microgrid Solutions, who will help us achieve our mission,” says Brian Donato, senior vice president of operations at Bowery Farming. “We’re looking forward to continuing to provide consumers with access to local, high-quality produce and drive a more sustainable future.”
Commissioning of the Bowery microgrid project is scheduled for the first quarter of 2019.