Project Profile

Naushon Island, MA

MicroGrid
System

Delivering Power, Anywhere

The Energy Challenge

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An island that is completely reliant on 2 diesel generators that run 24 hours a day for its power,
has drawbacks: volatile fuel prices, failing generators, fuel transportation issues, and dirty energy all
adding up to a unsustainable and expensive model.

The Microgrid Solution:

Integrating 30 independent solar arrays with back-up generators and battery energy storage
in an environmentally controlled shelter to create 126.9kW of photovoltaic power

THE BENEFITS:

70%

REDUCTION IN ISLAND
GENERATOR RUNTIME

85%

SAVINGS IN FUEL,
TRANSPORTATION AND
MAINTENANCE COSTS

10 Year
PAYBACK ON
INVESTMENT

Project Profile Details

Project Profile, Naushon Island, MA

When you live, vacation or conduct business on an island that is completely reliant on 2 diesel generators that run 24
hours a day for its power, you quickly become familiar with the drawbacks: volatile fuel prices, failing generators, fuel
transportation issues, and dirty energy all adding up to a unsustainable and expensive model that clashes with the
pristine surroundings of a beautiful and intimate beach community. Naushon Island, o the southern coast of Cape
Cod, was faced with these challenges and embraced the energy future by implementing a microgrid solution for their
power needs.
Integrating 30 independent solar arrays with back-up generators and battery energy storage in an environmentally
controlled shelter to create 126.9kW of photovoltaic power, became the microgrid solution that delivered cost-savings,
energy independence, and reliability to the residents of Naushon Island.
Northern Reliability designed the power system to work with the islands existing power grid and built in multiple layers
of protection to ensure icker-free power and avoid any failures if a component needs maintenance or replacement.
Excess solar power is stored in a 4,800 Amp hour, industrial battery system which powers the Islands loads during low
solar periods. Our System controllerthe brains of the operationmonitors the battery rate of charge, fuel tanks,
environmental conditions, generators, system faults and alarms. This data can be accessed via our SCADA system,
providing the customer with a window into their microgrids operation.
The microgrid solution has allowed the Naushon Island community to reduce generator runtime by 70% an outcome
that would increase in years of better solar exposure (2013 was considered an o year but still yielded impressive
results). The Northern team was a perfect t for our innovative o-grid village-scale power system. We have been
able to turn o our generators most of the time, relying on a PV and battery bank, and cutting out most of our fuel-oil
consumption, shared Paul Elias, Trustee, Naushon Trust. The Island has saved XXX in fuel, transportation and maintenance costs and is on track for a 10 year payback on their investment.
Power Application:
Year round, reliable power for residential loads on an island geography
System Configuration:
129.kW of photovoltaic power divided into 30 independent and redundant solar arrays
Two 55kW generators with 12 independent and redundant 4.4kW rectifiers for back up batter charging
4,800 Ahr, dual redundant string, AGM VRLA battery system with ground fault protection
60kW, three phase inverter with 63 independent and redundant 1kW modules configured as N+1
Battery shelter Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system with fire detection
Custom Programmable Logic Control (PLC) system
Custom SCADA system

The Northern Reliability and Microgrid Story:

Combining local power generation via renewable energy sources and the capacity to store that power through battery energy
storage systems, microgrids can be completely independent of the grid or grid-connected. Whether you refer to microgrids as virtual

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power plants, minigrids, smart grids, or distributed generation, they all deliver the same value: energy security and
independence, decreased dependence on fossil fuels, and intelligent energy management. No longer a solution focused only
on remote communities, microgrids are increasingly becoming part of the 21st century energy landscape. Northern Reliabilitys
proven and lauded expertise in designing efficient power systems from Antarctica to Asia make it a trusted partner in the
emerging microgrid dialogue taking place in your world.

340 Mad River Park

Waitsfield, VT 05673
Phone (802) 496-2955
Fax (802) 329-2096