147^th meeting of The Lyncean Group of San Diego will be held on Wednesday, 7 May 2025

Location: Southwestern Yacht Club
2702 Qualtrough Street, San Diego, CA 92106 (Point Loma) 

Speaker: Laurence N. Abcede, P.E.
Manager, Distributed Energy Resources, San Diego Gas & Electric

Topic: Deployment, Operation and Optimization of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and Microgrids

Abstract: SDG&E has been rapidly expanding its battery energy storage and microgrid portfolio and currently has about 21 BESS and microgrid sites with 335 megawatts (MW) of utility-owned energy storage and another 49+ MW in development. 

Battery and microgrid projects are complex systems comprised of batteries, inverters or power conversion systems (PCS), transformers, cyber secure communications, metering, switching, energy and battery management systems, microgrid controllers (if applicable) and auxiliary equipment. Typically, batteries are installed in custom-built, above-ground enclosures, with a fire suppression and warning system to maximize safety. SDG&E’s battery systems and microgrids typically are installed on SDG&E-owned property adjacent to existing substation facilities or in critical locations where grid reliability, stability and resiliency is needed most.

Microgrids are small-scale electric grids that can operate independent of or parallel to the larger regional grid and can keep critical community facilities powered during outages. Battery storage is an important part of every microgrid.

Battery storage works by absorbing electricity when it’s abundant on the power grid and sending excess power back to the grid when it’s most needed, such as during the evening after the sun sets and solar generators are unavailable.

You’ll find more information on this subject on SDG&E’s BESS and Microgrid website: https://www.sdge.com/major-projects/battery-energy-storage-systems-bess-and-microgrids

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