Port of San Diego pushes ahead with microgrid installation

Port of San Diego is pushing forward with the installation of a microgrid, battery storage system, and electrical infrastructure at the port’s Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal (TAMT) in line with its environmental strategy.

Namely, on November 10 the Board of Port Commissioners approved the installation of the microgrid which aims to provide back-up power to the port-operated facilities including security infrastructure, lights, offices, and the existing jet fuel storage system.

The board awarded a $2.77 million contract to EDF Renewables Distributed Solutions (EDF) as the highest-ranked proposer among five bidders.

The port estimates it would achieve $3.2 million in energy savings from the project over 20 years.

The project at TAMT would advance the port’s use of renewable energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions as it promotes improved air quality at the port.

The upcoming installation supports the port’s Climate Action Plan and is one of the mitigation measures required by the Environmental Impact Report for the terminal redevelopment.

“This is a groundbreaking milestone for the Port and we are extremely proud to be on the forefront of collecting sustainable power and demonstrating energy resilience,” said Vice Chair Michael Zucchet, Port of San Diego Board of Port Commissioners.

“We will soon be one of a few ports worldwide that will have a microgrid powered by renewable energy at a cargo terminal. We look forward to demonstrating a replicable model that can be used by other ports in California and around the world.”

The total cost of the project is anticipated to be approximately $9.6 million, $4.9 million of which is funded by a California Energy Commission Electric Program Investment Change (EPIC) grant. The port is contributing $4.2 million, and the University of California San Diego is contributing $201,000.

In September 2020, the Port of San Diego celebrated the completion of an approximately $24 million public works project to modernize its Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal.

The modernization project removed two obsolete warehouses and created much-needed laydown area for project cargo like windmill components.

The modernization was the first phase of a larger terminal redevelopment plan which envisions three distinct cargo nodes within the existing footprint of the terminal and is focused on current core specialties of:
•    Project, roll-on/roll-off, and break-bulk cargo such as military equipment, wind energy parts, shipbuilding steel, and vehicles;
•    Refrigerated containers for fresh produce such as bananas or other produce; and
•    Dry bulk cargo such as soda ash, aggregate and cement, used primarily in construction.