The operating system for the networked, clean energy grid

America’s most successful and fastest-growing Indian supermarket chain Patel Brothers has decided to go solar with storage.

Patel Brothers own and run 57 stores in 19 states, but it is in the store that started it all in 1974 in Schaumburg, Illinois that they decided to install their first solar and battery system, under contract from Chicago based solar developer Solar Micronics. The 320 kW solar system, already in operation, will be complemented in the first quarter of 2021 by a 560 kWh NEC battery system already contracted to IG. The innovative electrical arrangement allows Patel Brothers to immediately participate in the wholesale market for grid stability services, but also to quickly reconfigure to prioritize backup power and bill savings when the grid conditions deteriorate.

This contract further demonstrates that the commercial and industrial sectors are ready to adopt distributed generation and that IG’s POWR:Suite software can accelerate project returns and resiliency along its motto of Earn, Save, Protect.

Type: Grocery

Size: 320 kW solar, 560 kWh battery storage

In an agreement signed this month with theMART (www.themart.com), owners of Chicago’s historic landmark building the Merchandise Mart, Intelligent Generation will take over the dispatch and economic optimization of a 280 kWh battery system installed there by Consolidated Edison.

The owner’s decision to switch to IG was based on IG’s deep understanding of market rules and a best in class POWR:Suite value stack and optimization engine. IG will generate revenue for theMART in the grid stability market while also reducing their electrical bill during peak hours when the grid is under stress.

With this project, theMART and IG demonstrate that even in dense urban areas, buildings without a roof suitable for solar power can accelerate the transition to more distributed and cleaner source of power.

Size: 280 kWh battery

In 2019, MAGID inaugurated a 4 MW rooftop solar system, the largest of its kind in Illinois. Romeoville, Illinois based MAGID Glove & Safety is a leading US manufacturer and distributor of worker safety equipment. In the course of the project, MAGID decided to add 2 batteries from TESLA Energy managed by IG to enable microgrid backup for the entire project and accelerate payback through bill reduction strategies and participation in the wholesale market.

The first 1 MW storage system will be directly connected to PJM for grid stability services, while the second battery of 1 MW capacity will be connected to the factory load in a microgrid configuration. This will enable MAGID to operate key machinery during ComEd power outages. Both batteries have been delivered and are in the process of being installed and connected by Continental Energy Solution. The project was developed by Convergence Energy.

Type: Manufacturing

Size: 4 MW solar PV, 2 MW storage

IG signed a long-term contract with Chicagoland’s premier retailer Abt Electronics to maximize bill reductions and wholesale market revenues from energy management services.

The distributed resources include existing backup Title V EPA compliant generators, a 508 kW Solar rooftop array supplied by Convergence Energy and a 500 kW TESLA PowerPack battery installed by Continental Electric. The resources are connected in a unique double-microgrid configuration that enables independent power continuity to the retail floor and Abt’s server backroom operation.

This contract was the opportunity for IG to showcase its new Capacity Prediction Engine. During the whole summer, IG’s system successfully predicted 100% of the grid peak hours and used automated alert-based dispatch to reduce metered load during those hours. Abt is expected to save about $150,000 per year as a result of this elimination of capacity peaks.

Type: Retail Microgrid

Size: 508 kW solar PV, 500 kW storage

IG was contracted by the project developer Convergence Energy for the management of a 250 kW battery and 500 kW solar system at the campus of North Central College in Naperville, IL.

Along with its management of the battery capacity in the grid’s wholesale market, IG brought backup to the building and a fast payback to the project.

Additional electricity saving opportunities were uncovered by the project team and are now leading a review for optimization of NCC’s electrical load.

Type: University

Size: 500 kW solar PV, 250 kW storage

Continental Electrical Construction Company (CECCO) and IG developed a commercial size, smart solar energy system on the rooftop at CECCO’s headquarters in Oak Brook, IL. The Continental building exemplifies cutting edge conservation practices: Intelligent Solar software directs a battery and PV system to maximize energy savings and provide back-up power.

The project utilizes IG’s software to participate in wholesale power markets and reduce electricity costs through an efficient network service. It enables CECCO to manage its electricity demand and capacity charges by utilizing the onsite battery during peak demand times.

Type: Office

Size: 50 kW solar pV, 100 kW storage

The industrial end customer is The Libman Company, based in Arcola, Illinois. Libman is a 120 year-old family owned company, and a US leader in branded home cleaning brooms, brushes and cleaning utensils. Libman proudly manufactures most of its products in its Illinois factory. The project, self developed by IG, is being implemented under a turnkey EPC contract from Continental Energy Solutions.

Libman uses nearly 100 plastic injection molding machines; their operation and control systems are highly susceptible to power supply interruptions, even if just a few cycles not noticeable by humans. Frequent power disturbances, costing Libman several hundreds of thousand dollars of lost revenue each year, motivated Libman to seek power resiliency solutions without the high cost and low efficiency of traditional UPS solutions. In over a year of technical and regulatory work, an innovative solution was selected that will deploy 2 MW of energy storage systems in a highly novel industrial configuration.

The battery system is coupled with a 1.8 MW solar system which has already been built. The project ensures uninterruptible power flow to the most critical injection machines and allows participation in the MISO wholesale market, managed by IG.

This project covers about 20% of Libman’s power requirements, and will be augmented to 100% after the first phase is complete middle of 2020.

Type: Manufacturing

Size: 1.8 MW solar PV, 2 MW storage

Intelligent Generation contracted with S&C Electric Company for the remote management of a 150 kW energy storage unit that is being installed at S&C’s product demonstration center in Chicago. S&C’s numerous visitors will witness how S&C’s products can participate in PJM’s lucrative fast response frequency regulation market, by way of membership in IG’s virtual power plant network and its optimization software.  IG is a market member of PJM (North America’s largest grid operator).

Type: Smart Grid

Size: 150 kW storage