Western_Grower_Shipper2020MarApr

Center for Innovation and Technology (WGCIT) in January 2020 to co-host the Salinas Valley Energy Forum, which brought together an expert panel of energy developers, government agencies and solution providers to discuss the unreliable energy challenges facing agricultural operations along the 101 corridor. With questionable power quality and potentially a decade of PG&E power shut offs ahead, the forum offered insight on how Salinas Valley agriculture can avoid major disruptions to their businesses, all while saving money and meeting sustainability goals. First up on the docket was Curtis, who kicked off the panel discussion with a synopsis of macro-trends in energy usage by Salinas Valley growers, coolers and processors. Gonzales City Manager Rene Mendez followed up with the microgrid solutions being developed by his city. Next, Norm Groot, executive director of the Monterey County Farm Bureau, Vice President Gregg Morasca of Strategic Customers at Schneider Electric, and Rick Sturtevant, California State Energy Coordinator with the U.S. Department of Agriculture rounded out the panel discussion, which centered on the complexities of getting off the grid. The Salinas Valley Energy Forum was an important early step in driving forward the conversation around developing reliable, sustainable energy solutions in agriculture. Beyond the Salinas Valley, Western Growers members in every region will be forced to grapple with the increasing need to become more energy independent, which is part and parcel of the overarching trend toward renewable energy sources. Microgrids will invariably be part of the answer.

Concentric Power founder and CEO Brian Curtis

“Working together, the microgrid’s resources are greater than the sum of its parts, driving system performance to a level of efficiency and economic benefit none could do alone,” Curtis pointed out. Ultimately, microgrids allow farmers and ranchers to have more control over their power systems and operations when their existing utility service is inefficient. Coming off 20 years of energy engineering experience, Curtis founded Concentric Power, an intelligent microgrid developer focused on providing energy solutions to California’s agriculture industry. His mission is to assist customers in building clean power infrastructure that allow them to keep the lights on independent of the main power grid, while reducing carbon emissions and optimizing energy efficiency. Concentric Power teamed up with the Western Growers

17

MARCH | APRIL 2020

Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com

Made with FlippingBook Publishing Software