EDF Renewables to deliver 1 MW energy storage system at San Diego Zoo

EDF Renewables North America Distributed Solutions has announced that it has been chosen by San Diego Zoo Global to provide energy storage services in support of the organization’s fiscal and sustainability planning. The storage project will reduce energy costs at the San Diego Zoo facility by utilizing a 1 MW/4 MWh battery to mitigate spikes in usage thereby lowering demand charges. The system will also minimize energy costs by recharging the battery when energy is at its lowest available rates, and then later discharging that power to the Zoo when costs are highest.

The San Diego Zoo, located in southern California, USA, is able to leverage EDF Renewables’ performance-based contract whereby EDF Renewables is only paid based on the actual utility bill savings realized by the Zoo as a result of the battery operation. Accordingly, the Zoo has no fixed payments and bears no performance risk on the operation of the system. The battery solution also acts as a hedge against rising utility rates.