Energy Source: Onsite DER
Onsite Distributed Energy Resources (DER) supplement the grid-tie to increase resilience, manage costs, and enable partial or full energy autonomy. For AI campuses drawing hundreds of megawatts, DER portfolios often include gas turbines/CHP, solar PV, wind, and battery energy storage systems (BESS). These resources integrate through microgrids and energy management systems (EMS) to support uptime and sustainability targets.
Overview
- Purpose: Provide backup, peak shaving, renewable integration, and carbon reduction at campus scale.
- DER Mix: CHP/gas turbines, reciprocating engines, solar PV, wind, BESS, thermal storage, fuel cells.
- Integration: Connected via MV switchgear to facility distribution; coordinated by EMS and PMS.
- Scenarios: Islanding for resilience, demand response, tariff optimization, 24/7 carbon matching.
Architecture & Design Patterns
- Solar & Wind: Onsite or adjacent arrays; typically 20–200 MW, interfaced via MV substations.
- CHP / Gas Turbines: 10–100 MW blocks; provide both electricity and usable heat (absorption chillers or water heating).
- Reciprocating Engines: Flexible MW-scale gensets; fast start, lower efficiency than turbines, often used for backup.
- BESS: 10–200+ MW lithium-ion battery blocks (Tesla Megapack, Fluence, Wärtsilä); for peak shaving and fast response.
- Thermal Storage: Chilled water or ice tanks for peak-shaving cooling loads.
- Microgrid Controller: Orchestrates DER, grid-tie, and facility loads for seamless transitions.
- Digital Twins: Simulate DER dispatch under contingencies, tariffs, and carbon accounting frameworks.
Bill of Materials (BOM)
| Domain | Examples | Role |
|---|---|---|
| CHP / Turbines | Siemens SGT-800, GE LM6000, Solar Turbines Taurus | Baseload or backup power, thermal integration |
| Reciprocating Engines | CAT G3516, Wärtsilä 34SG, Jenbacher J620 | Fast-start backup, flexible peaking capacity |
| Solar PV | First Solar thin-film, Trina Solar, JinkoSolar | Renewable generation for carbon offsets |
| Wind Turbines | Vestas V150, Siemens Gamesa SG 5.X | Onsite/adjacent renewable integration |
| Battery Energy Storage | Tesla Megapack, Fluence GridStack, Wärtsilä GridSolv | Peak shaving, backup ride-through, fast response |
| Fuel Cells | Bloom Energy SOFC, Ballard PEM | Hydrogen/natural gas long-duration backup |
| Thermal Storage | Calmac ice tanks, chilled water reservoirs | Shifts cooling load off-peak |
| Microgrid Controller | Schneider EcoStruxure Microgrid, Siemens SICAM, Eaton GridEdge | Coordinates DER with grid and facility |
Key Challenges
- Capital Cost: DER assets can add billions in upfront investment at campus scale.
- Fuel Supply: CHP and reciprocating engines require secure gas supply contracts.
- Permitting: Air permits for turbines/engines, interconnect approvals for renewables/BESS.
- Integration Complexity: Multiple DER types must be synchronized with EMS and grid protection schemes.
- Carbon Accounting: Matching DER output to 24/7 carbon-free goals is complex; PPAs often required.
- Reliability: DER must coordinate with UPS/gensets to avoid transfer gaps.
Vendors
| Vendor | Solution | Domain | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| GE Vernova | LM6000 gas turbines, hybrid systems | CHP | High-efficiency aeroderivative turbines |
| Siemens Energy | SGT turbines, microgrid solutions | CHP / Microgrid | Integration with renewables + BESS |
| Solar Turbines (Caterpillar) | Taurus and Titan turbines | CHP | Compact, modular CHP blocks |
| Tesla Energy | Megapack BESS | Storage | Utility-scale lithium-ion battery blocks |
| Fluence | GridStack, GridStack Pro | Storage | EMS-integrated, modular blocks |
| Wärtsilä | Reciprocating engines, GridSolv BESS | Engines / Storage | Hybrid DER with microgrid integration |
| Bloom Energy | Solid-oxide fuel cells | Fuel Cells | Low-emission, dispatchable DER |
| Schneider Electric | EcoStruxure Microgrid Controller | Microgrid | Seamless DER coordination and dispatch |
Future Outlook
- Hybrid Microgrids: CHP + BESS + renewables integrated for near-island autonomy.
- Green Fuels: Hydrogen-capable turbines and fuel cells to replace natural gas.
- Multi-Hour Storage: Flow batteries, iron-air, and other chemistries for >8h duration.
- Thermal-Electric Synergy: Using CHP waste heat for absorption chillers or desalination.
- AI-Driven EMS: Orchestrators align DER dispatch with workload schedules and carbon targets.
FAQ
- Why add DER if grid power is available? For resilience, peak shaving, tariff optimization, and sustainability goals.
- Can campuses run fully off-grid? Technically yes, but costs are high; most pursue hybrid grid + DER models.
- What DER mix is most common? Gas turbines/engines + BESS for resilience; renewables for carbon offset.
- How does DER tie into the grid? MV switchgear connects DER blocks to the same buses as utility feeders; EMS manages transitions.
- Do DER reduce carbon? Yes, when renewables/BESS dominate; CHP/engines using natural gas reduce carbon relative to diesel but not to zero.