Solar + energy storage microgrids minimize the impact of power outages during wildfires

According to researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in the United States, microgrids equipped with solar + storage systems can keep the average levelized cost of energy (LCOE) below $0.30 / KWH. And limit annual public safety outages to a range of 2 to 3 percent of annual energy demand.

Recent research suggests that for communities in forested and rurban border areas, such as California and much of the West Coast of the United States, the use of solar + energy storage microgrids during wildfire season can minimize public safety issues (PSPS) caused by power outages.

However, microgrids have not been fully evaluated to understand the potential of the 46 million Americans who live near forests or in areas at high risk of wildfires, such as forest and border areas between urban and rural areas, to enhance their resilience to wildfires.

To fill this gap, a study from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has created a new modeling framework and assessed the potential for solar and battery applications in areas that would lose power during a wildfire warning.

LBNL's modeling framework includes:

Clustering models to identify communities based on building footprint data, fire hazard severity and renewable energy potential;

Building simulation models that can quantify energy demand;

Energy system optimization model for auxiliary microgrid.

LBNL makes it clear that microgrids are controlled local grids that can be disconnected from the regional grid and operate independently.

The lab introduced an optimization tool to model the microgrid at the edge of the forest and then evaluated seven regions in California with varying climatic conditions.