California Organic Farm and Agriculture Research Site Powered by Solar and Storage Microgrid

A new solar and energy storage microgrid is helping the Occidental Arts & Ecology Center (OAEC) live out its mission to protect ecological diversity and grow regional-scale community climate resilience.

The rural Sonoma County, California, nonprofit recently installed the microgrid in partnership with RE-volv, a nonprofit dedicated to expanding clean energy access, and Vital Energy Solutions, a local installer.

The microgrid is designed to fully power the 80-acre organic farm and resilience demonstration site year-round. The system includes 124 kW of solar generated by 270 solar panels, some of which are mounted on carports equipped with EV chargers.

A 540-kWh battery energy storage system provides resilience and allows OAEC to maintain operations in the event of a grid outage or public safety power shutoffs, which are common in the wildfire-prone region.

“Solar power is a good answer to a bunch of questions – how we can create our own electricity, build community resilience and lower our carbon footprint,” said Dave Henson, executive director of OAEC.

Microgrid expected to save OAEC millions

The microgrid was designed and installed by Vital Energy Solutions, a solar and backup power solutions provider in northern California.

RE-volv, a nonprofit that finances solar projects for other nonprofits, partially funded the microgrid with support from The Schmidt Family Foundation, the Kresge Foundation and Candide’s Afterglow Climate Justice Fund.

The microgrid is expected to save OAEC more than $2 million on its energy bills over the next 25 years, according to a statement. These savings will be invested in supporting the nonprofit’s mission.

Building resilience based on natural ecosystems

Founded in 1994, OAEC is a research, demonstration, education and advocacy center that aims to build regional-scale resilience. It supports community groups by hosting workshops, training sessions and retreats on ecological design, regenerative agriculture, watershed restoration and social justice organizing.

OAEC also provides consulting services in permaculture, a holistic design philosophy that creates sustainable, self-sufficient and resilient systems that mimic patterns found in natural ecosystems. 

“When a legendary sustainability education organization like OAEC builds a project like this, the ripple effect is tremendous,” said Andreas Karelas, executive director of RE-volv. The hope, he added, is that those who come to OAEC to learn about permaculture and sustainable design will be inspired to “build resilience through solar and storage microgrids back in their communities.”

OAEC isn’t the only Sonoma County-based environmental research and education facility reliant on a microgrid. In 2023, Pacific Gas & Electric installed a remote microgrid at Pepperwood Preserve, a living laboratory for climate monitoring, research and education.

The fully renewable microgrid replaces a nearly mile-long overhead distribution power line to the 32,000-acre preserve in the Mayacamas Mountains, effectively eliminating associated wildfire risks.

Earlier this year, the Domaine Carneros winery in Napa Valley added a solar and storage microgrid to its operations. Further south, in California’s Central Valley, Amond World commissioned a microgrid in 2023 to support a cold storage facility that serves the region’s almond growers.