May 2021 - 10

MICROGRID
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9
energy efficiently, from capturing and
repurposing heat during generation
to optimizing engine efficiency and
advanced load side management.
By incorporating solar energy
generation and battery storage, the
microgrid provides Tasteful Selections
" a pathway to net-zero carbon, "
according to Concentric Power.
Tasteful Selections hopes to save an
estimated 40% in energy costs.
" The cost savings are in comparison
to what Tasteful Selections would have
paid if buying power from the grid
(i.e., the utility), " Concentric Power
CEO and founder Brian Curtis said.
" By switching to distributed energy
sources, the company will be utilizing
power that is cheaper and more
reliable than that of the larger grid. "
The Concentric Power microgrid will
generate power for all of the processing
plant operations, as well as keep the
lights on during outage events.
" Tasteful Selections was able to
utilize a portion of its parking lot for
the microgrid installation, " Curtis
said. " The solar panels are on a canopy
over existing parking spots, while the
rest of the equipment - natural gas
modules, battery storage cabinets,
switchgear, etc. - will reside next to
the plant. "
Tasteful Selections and Concentric Power employees gather for a groundbreaking of the intelligent microgrid. Bob Bender, CEO and
president at Tasteful Selections, is at center in the dark blue blazer.
Concentric Power's microgrid
controller, which uses artificial
intelligence and machine learning
technology, will integrate with Tasteful
Selections' equipment automation
platform to manage the power load
actively and predictively so the plant
functions well during both normal
daily operations as well as during
outage events.
And, unfortunately, power outage
events are not a thing of the past.
" Power outages throughout the
state have been on the rise in the last
several years due to climate change
impacts like fires, planned outages by
utilities, and an aging electrical grid, "
Curtis said. " In October 2019, one
outage that occurred over multiple
circuits affected 970,000 customers
and lasted for up to five days. "
With offices in Salinas, Campbell,
and soon Bakersfield, Concentric
Power Inc. has a focus on agricultural
customers in the state.
" We don't have specific numbers,
but we will point out that the numbers
of microgrids throughout the state
and related to agriculture are still
fairly small, " Curtis said. " Concentric
Power is one of the only microgrid
developers who is focused on the ag
industry, and we currently have six
projects for a total of 60 megawatts
that are operational, in construction
or breaking ground in 2021.
" We see significant tailwinds
based on high customer demand for
resilient, low cost, clean power as
well as dropping equipment costs,
favorable regulatory shifts and
increasing federal incentives with the
new administration, " he added. " As a
company, we are proactively ramping
up to meet the demand. " VGN
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May 2021

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