On-Site Power

Schneider, Black & Veatch complete Marine Air Station microgrid project

Schneider, Black & Veatch complete Marine Air Station microgrid project
(The site testing team in front of the microgrid powerplant after successful black start tests at Marine Corps Air station Miramar, June 20, 2020.)

The new microgrid developed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar is online and fully operational to provide resiliency services for the mission-critical military base and even beyond into the local power grid.

Schneider Electric and Black & Veatch worked together to complete the hybrid, on-site and backup power system for Miramar, incorporating both conventional and renewable assets.

“This microgrid makes MCAS Miramar one of the most sustainable and energy secure facilities in the Department of Defense and plays a key role in helping California reach its clean energy goals.” said Mark Feasel, North American President of Smart Grids at Schneider Electric. “We’re excited to partner with industry leaders such as Black & Veatch and MCAS that share a similar objective to modernize our energy infrastructure and achieve cleaner energy, new efficiencies and cost savings.”

MCAS Miramar conducted its first full-scale Energy Resilience Readiness Exercise to assess resilience and reliability of the microgrid system, and whether it could keep operations up and running at full operational loads. During a full-day simulated power outage, the microgrid system completely disconnected from the grid and all operations were successfully carried out throughout its critical buildings and flight line.

Read our coverage of mission-critical on-site power projects

Similarly, the microgrid performed as designed twice in the fall of 2020, as it dispatched in support of the local utility San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) when it was struggling to fulfill peak loads. During Public Safety Power Shutoffs in California, the operation of the Miramar microgrid allowed SDG&E to maintain electrical service to thousands of homes that would have otherwise been curtailed.

The project included build-out of a new diesel and natural gas-fired power plant on-site, as well as a newly construction and advanced Energy and Water Operations Center. The microgrid is operated directly out of the EWOC.

Other power integrated into the microgrid includes biogas from a local landfill and solar photovoltaic generation. Energy storage also is planned as part of the project’s future mix.

Supported by a $5 million California Energy Commission (CEC) Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) grant, the next phase of the project will add an energy storage system and integrate demand side management.

The microgrid control system utilizes Schneider Electric’s SCADA software and a certified network to connect field devices into the system. The applications that form the advanced microgrid control system, such as real-time monitoring and optimization, provide economic generation and load balance while maintaining system stability through load/frequency and voltage/VAR controls.

The Black & Veatch/Schneider joint venture began work on the Miramar microgrid in 2017.