FRAMINGHAM, Mass. & KITTERY, Maine--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ameresco, Inc. (NYSE:AMRC), a leading energy efficiency and renewable energy company, announced today that its Federal Solutions Group successfully demonstrated GE’s microgrid control system at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) in Kittery, Maine. The team conducted two live tests simulating a base-wide commercial grid outage during which the microgrid shed nonessential loads and powered mission-critical systems.
Ameresco designed and delivered the microgrid with funding from a Department of Defense (DOD) Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) grant. It was designed to integrate several innovative technologies to: provide cost-effective solutions for military energy security; enhance reliability of electric service to the base; provide ancillary services to the electric grid Independent System Operator (ISO); and generate a potential new revenue stream for the government.
The Microgrid Control Systems (MCS) and a 500 kW/580kWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) were integrated with on-site generation, including a 10MW Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant and 4MW of emergency back-up generation. The control system furnished by GE’s Grid Solutions business, including new metering and a ‘fast load shed’ system, makes it possible for the MCS to intelligently select the loads to shed in order to balance with available distributed generation on-site.
Jayant Kumar, Global Smart Grid Program Director at GE’s Grid Solutions said, “GE’s Microgrid Solution will empower the U.S. Navy to achieve its energy surety goals by being able to continue operating their facilities in an uninterrupted manner in the event of a grid outage. This successful live test clearly demonstrates that this capability is achievable and we look forward to continue to support the Department of Defense in achieving these goals.”
“Ameresco is excited the microgrid functioned as designed and the tests at PSNY were highly successful,” said Nicole Bulgarino, Senior Vice President, Federal Solutions, Ameresco. “Given the success of this initiative, the potential for broad application of this system across U.S. Government installations and other organizations is very promising particularly at a time when resiliency has become a key concern.”
About Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
(PNSY) is one of four remaining naval shipyards in the nation. Centrally
located about 50 miles from Boston, Massachusetts, Portland, Maine and
Manchester, New Hampshire, at the southernmost tip of Maine, the
shipyard fully encompasses Seavey Island that sits at the mouth of the
Piscataqua River. This federally-owned island is across the harbor from
Portsmouth, New Hampshire, with access to the mainland by two bridges
that connect to Kittery, Maine. PNSY encompasses over 297 acres
including the main base and a family housing site off base in Kittery,
Maine. For more information, visit http://www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/Shipyards/Portsmouth.
About GE
GE (NYSE: GE)
is the world's Digital Industrial Company, transforming industry with
software-defined machines and solutions that are connected, responsive
and predictive. GE is organized around a global exchange of knowledge,
the "GE Store," through which each business shares and accesses the same
technology, markets, structure and intellect. Each invention further
fuels innovation and application across our industrial sectors. With
people, services, technology and scale, GE delivers better outcomes for
customers by speaking the language of industry. www.ge.com
About Ameresco, Inc.
Founded in 2000, Ameresco, Inc. (NYSE:
AMRC) is a leading independent provider of comprehensive services,
energy efficiency, infrastructure upgrades, asset sustainability and
renewable energy solutions for businesses and organizations throughout
North America and Europe. Ameresco’s sustainability services include
upgrades to a facility’s energy infrastructure and the development,
construction and operation of renewable energy plants. Ameresco has
successfully completed energy saving, environmentally responsible
projects with Federal, state and local governments, healthcare and
educational institutions, housing authorities, and commercial and
industrial customers. With its corporate headquarters in Framingham, MA,
Ameresco has more than 1,000 employees providing local expertise in the
United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. For more information,
visit www.ameresco.com.
