At the Tucson Proving Ground (TPG), facility managers worked with local Cat dealer Empire Power Systems to install 528 kWp DC (500 kWp AC) of photovoltaic solar panels and 500 kW of short-term energy storage in the form of batteries and ultra capacitors to supplement the power generated by the existing generator sets.
Proof from the Proving Ground
Cat® microgrid reduces power costs for off-grid tucson proving ground
At their Tucson Proving Ground, Caterpillar conducts field trials of large mining equipment before it goes to market. The facility, which also includes workshops and an office building, is too remote to easily connect to the local utility grid. Three Cat® C15 diesel gen sets ran continuously all year long, using approximately 250,000 gallons of diesel fuel each year. It was clear the facility needed an alternate power solution to reduce costs and align with their sustainability efforts.
The Cat Microgrid system is the recipient of the 2017 POWER magazine commercial and industrial generation award. View article now.
With the declining cost of renewable energy sources and rapid advances in energy storage technology, Cat microgrid technologies deliver an innovative, financially viable way to incorporate sustainable sources of energy into the existing portfolio of traditional power generation. Excess energy produced is stored for use during cloudy days and nighttime. Generator sets supplement the system by powering the microgrid when energy from other sources is unavailable.
Tucson Proving Ground expects to reduce its diesel fuel use by 33 percent and its gen set operation by 25 percent. Available worldwide through the Cat dealer network, this installation is an example of a real-world application of Cat microgrid technology for the commercial market.
