Encorp LLC, a distributed energy control company, recently completed the integrated monitoring and controls system as part of a first-of-its-kind smart microgrid at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, Calif.
The microgrid, developed by Chevron Energy Solutions, is among the most advanced in the country. It integrates a diverse collection of onsite renewable energy sources at the 1-million-square-foot, maximum-security jail to ensure around-the-clock power reliability and reduce utility costs.
The Encorp system helps aggregate the jail’s onsite generation sources of solar photovoltaics, fuel cells, wind turbines and emergency backup diesel generators with an advanced 2 megawatt energy storage system to reduce the facility’s energy costs by an estimated $100,000 each year to safeguard it against power loss.
Six Encorp Gold Boxes™ help control the jail’s daily 2-plus megawatt power demand by seamlessly balancing onsite generation and utility power to provide synchronous power. The seamless conversion of energy sources mitigates power disturbances.
An Encorp SCADA system automatically monitors and controls the operation by aggregating and analyzing real-time data from the different power sources that is sent to a central computer for operators to easily view.
With the completion of the smart microgrid, Alameda County’s Santa Rita Jail is considered one of the most energy efficient jails in the U.S., with one of the most advanced power systems in the world. Part of what makes the microgrid “smart” is the Encorp computer system, which allows the jail to monitor how much power it’s bringing in and how much it’s generating onsite. This state-of-the-art Encorp technology also allows the jail to disconnect seamlessly from the grid and operate independently if needed. In all, the smart microgrid enables greater efficiency, reliability, security and resilience of electricity delivery systems.
“Encorp microgrid equipment supports the high-security needs of the jail, helping to ensure safety of inmates and staff,” said Michael Clark, Encorp President. “Encorp equipment helps tie the disparate onsite energy sources together so they can communicate in the same language and perform at optimum levels. The Santa Rita Jail microgrid is the latest example of Encorp’s success integrating different forms of distributed generation sources.”
For more information, call Encorp at 888-295-4141 or visit www.encorp.com.
