Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Nissan, Fermata Energy, and the Schatz Energy Research Center have deployed an automated frequency response system at California’s Redwood Coast Airport Microgrid that integrates previous-generation electric vehicles with bidirectional charging infrastructure. The demonstration represents an industry-first implementation of vehicle-to-microgrid technology for both customer cost reduction and grid stability enhancement.
Highlights
- Two model year 2020-21 Nissan LEAF vehicles with CHAdeMO ports integrated with four bidirectional FE-20 charging stations at McKinleyville facility
- Automated frequency response system enables real-time balancing of solar energy and battery storage within microgrid operations
- Fleet vehicles discharge batteries to offset grid usage and generate revenue through California’s Emergency Load Reduction Program during grid stress events
- Technology provides backup power capacity during grid outages while supporting California’s renewable energy transition targets
Technical Implementation
The Redwood Coast Airport Microgrid deployment integrates Fermata Energy’s Vehicle-to-Everything optimization platform with existing microgrid infrastructure. Humboldt County Aviation Division purchased one 2021 Nissan LEAF, while Nissan provided a second 2020 model under agreement.
The two-vehicle fleet serves county staff for work activities. When not in use, vehicles connect to bidirectional chargers that manage both charging and discharging cycles.
Advanced microgrid control functionality developed by the Schatz Energy Research Center enables the electric vehicles to balance solar generation and battery storage in real time. The system uses frequency variations to command vehicle-charger combinations to inject or absorb power based on microgrid battery state.
Grid Services and Revenue Generation
The implementation provides multiple grid support functions:
- Energy management: Battery discharge offsets facility grid consumption, reducing electricity costs for Humboldt County
- Emergency response: Vehicles respond to California ELRP signals during regional or statewide grid stress events
- Islanded operation: During grid disconnection, vehicles stabilize microgrid operations when batteries reach capacity limits
- Frequency regulation: Automated response to grid frequency changes maintains system stability
Vehicle owners earn revenue by returning electricity to the grid during stress periods through voluntary ELRP participation.
PG&E V2X Pilot Program Expansion
The airport microgrid project forms part of PG&E’s broader Vehicle-to-Everything pilot initiative. The utility collaborates with automakers and platform providers to evaluate light-duty and medium-duty electric vehicle applications for grid support.
Current pilot programs address:
- Backup power for critical infrastructure
- Renewable resource integration optimization
- Real-time energy procurement cost alignment
- Customer charging and discharging economics
PG&E offers financial incentives for residential and commercial customers participating in V2X pilots. Enhanced benefits apply to participants in disadvantaged and priority communities identified under California Assembly Bill 841.
Upfront incentives, performance-based payments, and ELRP enrollment help offset bidirectional charger purchase and installation costs. Additional information and enrollment details are available at Vehicle to Everything (V2X) Pilot Programs.
California Renewable Energy Targets
Project partners expect the demonstration to inform grid architecture design supporting California’s energy transition timeline. State mandates require 60 percent renewable generation by 2030 and 100 percent renewable, zero-carbon electricity by 2045.
The Redwood Coast Airport Microgrid is jointly operated by PG&E and Redwood Coast Energy Authority, Humboldt County’s local energy provider.
The Schatz Energy Research Center leads multiple renewable energy microgrid developments in California, including the state’s first front-of-the-meter, 100 percent renewable microgrid and solar-based systems for tribal communities. Current projects include nested microgrid development with Hoopa, Yurok, and Blue Lake Rancheria Tribes to address outages on vulnerable distribution circuits. Additional information is available at schatzcenter.org/microgrids.
More information about Fermata Energy is available at fermataenergy.com.
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