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    1. Distributed Energy

    Scale Microgrids installing Solar & Battery system for Cold Storage at California Almond facility

    Dec. 8, 2022
    The facilities can house up to 50 million pounds of almonds or other crops for short- and long-term storage. The microgrid system will include 1,200 kW of rooftop solar and a 1,200 kW/ 2,400 kWh battery system
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    Origo Investments has engaged Scale Microgrids to design, build, own and operate an off-grid clean energy microgrid for a state-of-the-art refrigerated cold storage facility it is building with Almond World at the Madera Airport Industrial Park.

    The facility will have two 250,000-square-foot buildings, each with a capacity to hold approximately 50 million pounds of almonds or other crops for short- and long-term storage.

    “Central California produces 60% of all the nuts and citrus consumed in the U.S. each year, the almond industry alone produces 80% of the world’s global supply,” says Origo Investments principal Adam Hayner. “We believe that these new cold storage facilities will support local farmers through empowering them to more efficiently manage the sale of their crops over longer periods and ultimately to deliver higher profitability. To achieve this, we are building temperature-controlled storage that focuses on and prioritizes sustainability. Scale Microgrids is there to help support our commitment to the farmers.”

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    The facility will be supported by a microgrid system, which will include 1,200 kW of rooftop solar and a 1,200 kW/ 2,400 kWh battery system. The microgrid will include two 1,200 kW enhanced emission-reducing controllable generators.

    “The developer came to us with a need for an off-grid, sustainable, and reliable power system for their facility in order to expedite their project development timeline”, says Ryan Goodman, Chief Executive Officer and co-founder at Scale Microgrids. “The sheer number of pounds of valuable inventory in this facility makes it absolutely impossible to have anything less than 100% continuous, reliable power. Our microgrid provides them with predictable, low energy costs for the long-term, clean power, and peace of mind. We both finance and operate the system, leaving Amond World with only needing to focus on the farmers and the almonds.”

    The off-grid microgrid will run off solar and storage during the day. The energy system and the buildings are expected to be fully commissioned by May 2023.