San Diego Gas & Electric (SDGE) plans to release a request for proposals (RFP) next month seeking a microgrid controller to help it manage energy storage and renewable energy.
The California utility issued a notice Tuesday signaling the upcoming RFP, scheduled for release Wednesday, December 21.
The utility seeks microgrid technology to optimize distributed energy resources (DER) with conventional grid control assets. The controller will be applied to a section of SDGE’s system that spans from a distribution substation 12-kV bus to the end of one or more distribution circuits connected to that bus.
The solution must coordinate controls between devices to better manage reverse power flows and voltage and frequency excursions caused by DERs — and it should be able do so when the system is grid connected or in island mode (including managing low inertia environments).
The notice also said that the microgrid controller must integrate well with the company’s existing and future supervisory control and data acquisition, distribution management system, and distributed energy resource management system.
SDGE described the project schedule as extremely accelerated. Responses are due by February 1, 2019 and the utility plans to award a contract by March 1 with an effective start date of May 1.
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A number of bidders will be invited to participate, including PXiSE, a subsidiary and affiliate of SDGE parent Sempra Energy. PXiSE provides advanced control technology. Because of PXiSE’s participation, an independent evaluator will oversee the RFP process and assist in the proposal evaluations.
The RFP contact is Rachel Josué, category management advisor – IT supply management, authorized agent for Sempra Energy, SDGE and Southern California Gas, [email protected].
The utility will post the RFP documents on the PowerAdvocate site.
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