Bipartisan infrastructure law (BIL) - accelerating clean energy resiliency for the grid and california water utilities the goal of this project is to bring clean energy resiliency to the critical…

Bipartisan infrastructure law (BIL) - accelerating clean energy resiliency for the grid and california water utilities the goal of this project is to bring clean energy resiliency to the critical infrastructure of water utilities and provide grid operators a highly flexible, coordinated, and predictable solution for load reduction during grid stress. This project will demonstrate this innovative investment which will be immediately replicable to address the same grid challenges existing across the entire country. This project will deliver an innovative, scalable, and clean resiliency solution that provides load flexibility for electric grid operators, improved reliability for critical infrastructure, and economic and health benefits for local communities. The objectives of this project include demonstrating increased resiliency solutions for california water utilities to accelerate the clean energy transition from the industry standard of diesel generators to innovative microgrid projects consisting of a combination of battery energy storage systems (BESS) and distributed energy resources; creating virtual power plants (VPP) that provide an orchestrated response to deliver firm capacity during grid emergencies, often triggered by wildfire risk and high winds; demonstrating how BESS and distributed energy resource management system (DERMS) solutions complement existing energy resources to generate cost savings for local communities while providing clean resiliency; demonstrating how BESS deployments reduce emissions that impact local air quality and carbon emissions; evaluating dispatch algorithms which are more equity-focused than the current "economic only" optimization engines by assessing additional variables of climate and health impacts; reducing risk and accelerating the transition to clean backup power solutions at all critical facilities; and addressing the inequalities of the existing energy system through community engagement, workforce development, diversity focused sourcing strategies and the direct investment of clean energy projects in disadvantaged communities.