Green Charge Networks, a provider of intelligent energy storage solutions, has signed a power efficiency agreement with Redwood City to install the GreenStation at two facilities.
The 30 KW systems are expected to offset demand charges, making Redwood City the first Bay Area city to install behind-the-meter energy storage.
Many cities are taking up the call to promote sustainability by turning to energy storage to reduce demand charges caused by peak electricity usage and enable the adoption of electric vehicles.
Electric vehicles require large amounts of power, spiking energy bills unless an energy storage solution is used to regulate the spikes.
The GreenStation is one of the many ways to conserve resources, said Terence Kyaw, assistant public works director in Redwood City. “Working with GCN reduces our carbon emissions and makes clean energy more accessible to our community.”
California has mandated the adoption of energy storage, requiring the three largest utilities in the state to install 1.3 GW of storage by 2020.
Communities such as Redwood City are turning to energy storage for both environmental and economic reasons. Over the past decade, demand charges in California have been growing by more than 7 percent annually – accounting for 50 percent of the electric bills for many institutions.
“We are pleased to partner with Redwood City to set an example for other Bay Area cities to follow,” said Steve Kelley, SVP of Sales at Green Charge Networks. “After proving our technology with national brands such as 7-Eleven and Walgreens, we look forward to helping more cities meet their sustainability goals through intelligent energy storage.”