State of the Agency 2023
Ventura County Public Works Agency is leading the way in promoting sustainability through the installation of innovative battery technology at both of its wastewater treatment plants. The agency’s efforts are in line with the global move towards energy resilience, and the use of new and exciting electricity storage technologies.
Thanks to grants from Southern California Edison, the Moorpark Water Reclamation Facility and Piru Wastewater Treatment Plant will each house a battery energy storage system (BESS) and a microgrid controller. The California Public Utilities Commission’s Self-Generation Incentive Program secured two separate grants totaling over $2.6 million for the project.
Moorpark already has a 999-kW solar field that produces much of the electricity needed for the plant, and excess energy is exported to the electrical grid. However, the facility cannot use its solar power system during power outages or when sunlight is unavailable. The PowerFlex BESS in Moorpark will store electricity from times when energy is plentiful and inexpensive, and the smart microgrid will determine when it is most advantageous to use this stored electricity, thereby relieving pressure from the grid during peak periods. The facility can also seamlessly continue to treat wastewater during power outages without using diesel generators.
At the Piru facility, the Tesla BESS allows Ventura County Public Works Agency to partner with Tesla, who will provide full-service operations and maintenance of the BESS for a ten-year term. Energy will be provided to the wastewater treatment plant even during peak usage times, and Piru will also be contributing power back to the electrical grid.
The wastewater treatment plants’ energy storage systems are just one example of Ventura County Public Works Agency’s commitment to sustainability. The agency’s efforts will benefit people both within and outside of Ventura County.
