CityofSantaBarbara
The City’s Sustainability & Resilience Department has completed the installation of a 425 kilowatt (kW) solar photovoltaic system and battery energy storage system (BESS) at the Granada Garage.
The project began on August 21, 2023 and will generate, store, and supply electricity to the Granada Garage and Granada Offices, while also reducing electricity costs at the Central Library across the street.
About the Project
The new system will produce approximately 700,000 kWh per year of clean renewable electricity, equivalent to powering over 150 Santa Barbara homes. In addition to increasing local renewable electricity capacity, project benefits include improved regional air quality and energy reliability, and supporting the local green energy industry.
This project is part of a broader City initiative to build microgrids, systems capable of both generating and storing electricity, at critical municipal facilities. Microgrids can operate while disconnected from the grid and continue to power these facilities, providing significant resilience potential during power outages and climate emergencies.
The battery storage system at the Granada Garage project was funded in part through Southern California Edison’s Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP). The batteries will store power generated by the on-site solar array and power the facility at nighttime or at times when electricity from the grid is most expensive.
Bravo, City of SB! Keep these projects rolling. Every step towards a clean energy future is a step in the right direction and away from the continued reliance on fossil fuels, which are destroying our planet.
Win-win every time!
A lot of batteries for this project means a lot of mining for the lithium. And that will make the world a better place. Congratulations.
Yup, it sure will! That is, because lithium mining it’s STILL not close to as bad for our planet as coal and oil production. Also, sodium ion is rapidly becoming a safer and cleaner alternative to lithium.
Facts are great!
I love how lefty libs think they are doing something, when they really aren’t.
Steve_O – nothing at all? Well that’s just a lie. What are you and your righty cons doing to clean up our planet? Name one thing.