Eaton and Enel X partner on new Puerto Rico microgrid

Power management company Eaton and Enel X, the Enel Group’s advanced energy services business line, have announced plans for a second joint microgrid project in Puerto Rico. The projects will reduce demand on regional energy infrastructure, enable Eaton to power manufacturing with more renewables and boost energy resilience for its operations.

The solar + storage microgrid at the Eaton Las Piedras manufacturing facility will integrate nearly 5 MW_AC of solar PV and approximately 1.1 MW/2.2 MWh of battery storage into the facility’s onsite power generation systems. The project is the second microgrid at an Eaton manufacturing site on the island. Together with the microgrid system at the Eaton Arecibo site, Eaton and Enel X will contribute 10 MW_AC of solar PV and 2.23 MW / 4.46 MWh of battery storage in Puerto Rico by 2022.

Under the terms of the agreement, Enel X will build, own and operate the system on behalf of Eaton. Additionally, Enel X will finance the project under an energy-as-a-service model, shifting Eaton’s investment in the microgrid system from a capital to an operational expense. Eaton will provide installation expertise and key technologies for the microgrid system, including its microgrid controller and plant electrical distribution equipment.

In addition to increasing the facility’s resiliency, the solar + storage system will enable Eaton to generate, store and consume renewable energy, and support the local grid by discharging renewable energy back to the grid, reducing emissions by limiting the need for carbon-intensive electricity during peak demand periods.

The microgrid systems at the Las Piedras and Arecibo plants are designed to hurricane code in Puerto Rico and able to withstand Category 5 strength hurricane-force winds. Like all Enel X storage deployments, the microgrid will utilize Enel X’s Distributed Energy Resources (DER) Optimization software, and its unique capabilities to maximize the value of the project across multiple applications, including on bill savings, incentive programs and grid services.

News item from Eaton

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Original Source: https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2021/10/eaton-and-enel-x-partner-on-new-puerto-rico-microgrid/