California Gets Its First All-Electric, Microgrid Community

According to Electrek, KB Homes opened a new microgrid neighborhood in California. Additionally, this is the state's first microgrid community that is entirely electric and powered by solar and batteries. The new neighborhood, which is a part of KB Homes' Shadow Mountain master plan, is situated at Oak Shade and Durango in Menifee, California. Furthermore, KB Homes collaborated with the US Department of Energy (DOE), SunPower, Scheider Electric, and Kia to test the new energy-efficient homes. Moreover, these brand-new solar homes differ from others because they have backup battery storage, the ability to charge electric vehicles in both directions, and are interconnected, creating a robust energy network. Additionally, these technologies work together to create a self-sustaining energy network that can supply an area with electricity during a power outage.

How it functions

So how does a community run entirely on electricity? Firstly, a SunPower Equinox solar system, 13 kWh of SunVault battery storage, a Rheem ProTerra hybrid electric pump water heater, a Carrier high-efficiency two-stage heat pump, and a Schneider Electric D Energy Center Smart Panel are all installed in every home. [caption id="attachment_58553" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] image credit: engineering[/caption] Secondly, the solar panels will collect solar energy and store it in the batteries. In addition, the community solar panels linked to a 2.3 MW battery will supplement the network's power source. Moreover, some of the homes will have Wallbox chargers and come with electric wiring for EV charging. The Virtual Power Plan (VPP) initiative from SunPower enables homeowners to use their EV chargers, battery storage, and other energy solutions to balance the grid load even during peak hours. Furthermore, over 200 residences will be all-electric and solar-powered with additional battery storage while connected to a community microgrid. As a result, the communities will be more completely self-sufficient and will not experience the inconvenience of a power outage. [caption id="attachment_58552" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] image credit: electrek[/caption]

What's more

The US solar business is now expanding rapidly. And this rise is a result of a change in domestic solar installation, motivated by the boost in demand for homes powered by solar and batteries. Hence, the residential microgrid market will expand as a result of the sharp increase in demand for more environmentally friendly communities, homes, and lifestyles. Thus, the future of sustainable energy lies in communities powered by solar and batteries. [caption id="attachment_58551" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] image credit: techtimes[/caption] On another note, together with other project partners, KB Homes and SunPower created a resilient community with an energy-efficient infrastructure. Additionally, this type of microgrid community has the potential to save clients money and energy. Hopefully, the increase in microgrids will encourage the development of greener, more sustainable communities. In addition, it will make more efficient grid management possible and provide homeowners with more power over their energy. Lastly, it wouldn't be wrong to expect that as sustainable communities expand and more individuals learn about the advantages of self-sufficient houses, the demand for microgrids will also increase.