Air Station Miramar Increases Microgrid Islanding Time to as Much as 21 Days for Base the Size of a Small City

By Lisa Cohn, Microgrid Knowledge

Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar has completed a test demonstrating that it can increase microgrid islanding time so that the whole base — made up of hundreds of buildings — can be islanded for up to 21 days. This was accomplished using an innovative backup system, a milestone that generated excitement for those who have been working toward this moment for years.

“I’ve been trying to do this backup generator project for so long,” said Mick Wasco, utilities and energy management director for the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, based in San Diego. “It was painful and complicated to accomplish. I put years of effort into this, so when it finally happens, it’s truly amazing and fun to see it come together.”

On Feb. 4, for the first time, the base integrated into the microgrid a diesel backup generator that has electrical paralleling capability. This allows it to serve as an additional distributed energy resource within the microgrid — as opposed to outside of it — and increases the base’s onsite fuel supply, allowing for increased islanding time, he said.

Usually, backup generators provide power to an isolated building. But in this case...Continue reading on Microgrid Knowledge.