Stone Edge Farm Microgrid Hydrogen Integration Project
The objective of the project is to incorporate the production and use of hydrogen at the Stone Edge Farm in order to achieve the goal of creating a 100% renewable energy resilient microgrid that can be operated year around without dependence on the PG&E grid connection or natural gas
The Stone Edge Farm Microgrid in Sonoma, California is currently powered by a fully operational microgrid, that provides power to the property’s agricultural operations, residences, spa, conference spaces, and electric vehicle charging stations. The grid-tied microgrid consists of multiple power generation technologies including solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, hydrogen fuel cells, and natural gas microturbines. It also includes multiple energy storage technologies including lithium-ion and lithium iron phosphate batteries. All of the site’s loads, power generation, energy storage, and grid interaction are monitored and controlled via Helia Technologies’ Helia IQ solution, which takes information from various equipment in different protocols and coordinates energy production, storage, regulation, and optimization. The microgrid has been operational for many years and has undergone real-world resiliency tests, including the Sonoma fires, when regional power was shut down for several days, and multiple Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events. In all cases, the microgrid was able to be islanded from the grid and maintain power to Stone Edge loads throughout the outages. The system continues to evolve and tests different energy storage technologies and Helia Technologies microgrid controls, with the latest addition being considered is an industrial scale polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) hydrogen electrolyzer to create hydrogen for seasonal energy storage and provide fueling for the winery’s hydrogen vehicles.