Barona Group of the Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians of the Barona Reservation – 2022 Project

NOTE: Project pages are being updated regularly to reflect changes, if any; however, some of the information may be dated.

Summary

The Barona Community Microgrid Project will integrate approximately 921 kilowatts (kW) of solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity, a battery energy storage system with a power capacity of 350 kW and storage capacity of 1,470 kilowatt-hours (kWh), and a microgrid control system to deliver autonomous, uninterrupted power to five Tribal facilities that are essential to the health, safety, and vitality of the Barona community. The project will significantly reduce the need for grid-supplied power, resulting in savings of over $390,000 in Year 1 and approximately $12 million over the life of the system. 

Project Description

Background

The Barona Group of the Capitan Grande Band of Mission Indians (“Tribe”) is a federally recognized sovereign nation located in rural eastern San Diego County, California. The Barona Indian Reservation is approximately 7,226 acres located northeast of San Diego. The climate on the reservation is hot and dry in the summer with strong winds throughout the fall, increasing the risk of wildfires and associated utility outage events, including long-duration public safety power shutoffs. With the increase in frequency and intensity of these events, the Tribe recognized the need to provide sustainable and resilient energy for essential Tribal facilities. The Tribe evaluated various energy strategies and developed their Hazard Mitigation Plan, which identified five facilities requiring resilient energy supplies. Within the Hazard Mitigation Plan, the concept of the Barona Community Microgrid Project was developed and characterized as the Tribe’s energy priority. This project is specifically designed to support the resiliency and clean energy needs of the five facilities that provide services essential to the health, safety, and vitality of the Barona community.

Project Objectives

The primary goal of the Barona Community Microgrid Project is to provide sustainable, resilient energy for five facilities that are essential to the health, safety, and vitality of the Barona community. Essential energy loads to be integrated with the microgrid include: (1) the Barona Water Authority building, (2) a freshwater and fire suppression water pumping station, (3) the Water Reclamation and Treatment facility, (4) the Facility Maintenance Services building, and (5) a large food storage warehouse containing food, water, and other essential supplies. Secondary project goals include reducing the Tribe’s energy costs and environmental impacts; supporting Tribal sovereignty and self-sufficiency by enabling the Tribe to exercise control over the way energy is produced and managed on the Barona Reservation; and reducing dependence on external energy supplies, especially fossil-derived supplies. Successful implementation of the project will accelerate future efforts to deploy additional resilient energy systems for other essential community facilities and Tribal commercial and residential buildings. 

To achieve these project goals, the Barona Community Microgrid will incorporate new solar PV carport canopy systems, a 4-hour duration battery energy storage system, and microgrid controls and switchgear to maintain autonomous energy service during outages and reduce grid-delivered power and standby diesel generator fuel consumption for the five essential facilities. The solar PV systems are expected to generate 1.7 million kWh annually, offsetting approximately 92% of grid-supplied electricity for the five facilities. The battery energy storage system will be used to reduce power purchased from the local electric utility and act as an emergency backup supply during periods of grid outages.

Project Scope

The Barona Community Microgrid Project will integrate approximately 921 kW of solar PV capacity, a 350-kW/1,470-kWh battery energy storage system, and microgrid controls and switchgear to form a grid-tied, autonomous-capable microgrid designed to provide uninterrupted electricity for five essential Tribal facilities. The microgrid’s solar PV component will be configured as carport canopy arrays. The microgrid will be interconnected to the local electric utility at a single point of interconnection on a 12-kilovolt circuit. The system is designed to meet California Rule 21 requirements for net-energy metered microgrids. The Tribe will enter into one or more contracts for installation by third-party engineering, procurement, and construction vendors, using only commercially available and warrantied technologies. 

Project Location

The Barona Community Microgrid Project is located on the Barona Indian Reservation in eastern San Diego County, California. The Barona Indian Reservation consists of approximately 7,226 acres of rural mountainous landscapes with limited roadway access.