EDF Renewables North America has brought online a 1MW energy storage facility at San Diego Zoo’s Balboa Park in California.
San Diego Zoo leveraged EDF Renewables’ energy services contract to deploy the battery storage project to reduce energy costs at the Zoo facility by mitigating spikes in usage and thereby lowering demand charges.
The system will also minimise costs by recharging the battery when energy is at its lowest available rates, and then later discharging that power to the Zoo when costs are highest.
EDF Renewables is only paid based on the actual utility bill savings realised by the Zoo as a result of the battery operation.
The battery solution also acts as a hedge against rising utility rates.
San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer said: “We are fortunate to have partners like the San Diego Zoo leading the way with the use of renewable energy sources and helping advance the City of San Diego’s landmark Climate Action Plan.
“I’m looking forward to working together to continue finding ways to reduce our carbon footprint.”
San Diego Zoo global director of performance improvement Adam Ringler said: “This new battery storage system reduces the San Diego Zoo’s need for fossil fuel, supports clean energy, and lowers our energy costs.
“This is a great opportunity to not only support the City of San Diego’s sustainability goals but it allows us to direct more resources towards our mission of saving species.”
EDF Renewables executive vice president of distributed solutions Raphael Declercq said: “We are very proud to serve the Zoo, an iconic member of the San Diego community, where 450 of our employees work at our North American headquarters; the type of energy storage we are deploying here has become an economical asset that helps California businesses reduce their electricity bills, increase their energy resiliency and allow integration of more renewable energy into the grid.”