The future of power is underway. G&W Electric is excited to announce the kick-off of a state-of-the-art microgrid project that will provide more reliable and resilient power to our headquarters using on-site, automated power generation and storage.
When a severe snowstorm completely shut down our operations, G&W Electric recognized the benefits of installing a microgrid to deliver uninterrupted premium power to support our critical operations as well as our customers.
Microgrid Installation
The microgrid is currently under construction and is expected to be completed in 2023. Learn more about the installation process and subscribe to receive updates as the microgrid progresses.
Explore our interactive microgrid
370,000 sq. ft. of Solar Panels
Flow Battery 3MW for 2 hours
Flywheel up to 1.3MVA for 58 sec.
Flywheel
- The 1.3 MVA flywheel is a solid cylinder with a large mass. It spins at tremendous speeds, up to 2,800 rotations per minute
- Containment – mechanical failure can be catastrophic because of the huge forces involved, so the flywheel is housed within a strong enclosure
- Motor and Generator – when energy is being stored, electricity drives the motor to spin the flywheel. When the stored energy is being recovered, the motor acts as a generator to convert the spinning motion back to electricity.
Solar Panels
- Nearly 6,000 panels installed across the roof covering over 370,000 sq. ft. – about the size of 7.7 football fields
- Cutting-edge bi-facial solar panels that generate energy from both sides
- Panels will optimize the use of direct sunlight and reflection which will generate 18-20% more energy than standard monofacial solar panel designs
Flow Battery
- 3 megawatt flow battery is the “heart and soul” of the microgrid
- Capable of operating at 150% of its nominal 2 megawatts
- Generates 3 megawatts for 1.5 hours or 2 megawatts for 4 hours
- The flow battery uses a vanadium electrolyte solution – environmentally friendly and fireproof
- 20+ year lifespan and recyclable at end of life
G&W Electric Trident®-SR with SafeVu™ Switchgear
- Maintenance-free, high-speed switch with integrated visible break
- Equipped with ABB REC670 relays
- Only relay that can protect and monitor a 6-way looped switch
- Forms a distribution loop with <6 cycle FLISR response
- Ties the G&W Electric campus together electrically to increase reliability
G&W Electric Viper®-ST Reclosers
- Viper-based Automatic Transfer (ATO) switches G&W Electric’s campus to an alternate, overhead source in less than 10 seconds
- Uses an enhanced version of the noncommunicating loop scheme implemented across the utility’s service territory
G&W Electric LaZer® Automation
- High-speed reconfiguration (<6 cycle FLISR response)
- Full monitoring and control
- Ability to island from the grid and reconnect
Explore our interactive microgrid to learn more about the components.