boxpower

GRASS VALLEY, California — Despite the twists and challenges of 2020, the BoxPower team was extremely grateful to continue its trajectory of growth this year. Our support networks, customers, advisors, and hardworking team members have been invaluable in supporting us through this difficult year. The next few paragraphs outline our efforts and achievements in 2020, and look ahead to 2021. 

BoxPower’s dedicated team has allowed its microgrid products to produce a real shift in energy utilization and demonstrated significant measurable results.

We installed 15 new projects this year. Some were in familiar sectors, including hurricane resilience projects in Puerto Rico and indigenous electrification projects in Alaska. BoxPower also pioneered new markets, including the medical sector and the wildfire prevention sector.

Our projects in the medical sector focused on providing life saving resiliency  to hospitals with unreliable energy access. Our largest project in this sector was for the MCHC (Mendocino Community Health Clinic), a low-income medical center in rural Northern California. This project followed a 2-year streak of lengthy and costly power outages at MCHC. Between PSPS events and fire damages to power lines, MCHC had lost over $400,000 in revenue and equipment during a single fire season; additionally, without a critical baseline of power, MCHC cannot effectively serve its neediest patients. BoxPower designed a 290 kW solar + 464kwH  storage microgrid to save $85,000 in annual utility bills and meet MCHC’s critical power demand during outages, ensuring that the facility can perform essential duties during grid instability. 

Our projects in the wildfire prevention sector focused on reducing the risk presented by wire-and-pole electric transmission lines. Above-ground transmission lines are a leading cause of wildfires in the American west, with hot and dry climate conditions increasing their ability to initiate fires. The Sagehen Research Station project serves a remote wildlife research facility north of Truckee, CA. Sagehen’s electricity was previously provided by several miles of electric transmission lines that pass through dense pine forest. During the summer, these lines were a severe wildfire risk and were frequently shut off. Although de-energizing these lines eliminates fire risk, it leaves the research facility without power. “Fire hardening” these transmission lines would significantly decrease fire risk; however, this is a very costly and time-intensive process. Instead of spending millions of dollars hardening their lines, the electric utility decided to purchase a BoxPower solar + storage + propane hybrid microgrid. Now, the research station will rely solely on BoxPower’s system during the wildfire season. 

Additional notable projects included a resilience hub at a school in Guayama, Puerto Rico, a grocery store in the remote indigenous community of Pilot Point, and a 100 bed shelter for those displaced by COVID-19 in Santa Clara County. The Guayama system provided 24/7 reliability for the entire community during multiple 2020 outages, while the Pilot Point project will enable the grocery store to lower prices to rural customers by 5% due to the energy savings. BoxPower anticipates continued growth in the medical and wildfire prevention sectors during 2021 with megawatts of projects in the pipeline. Our hybrid microgrids are finding invaluable solutions to safe, reliable, clean and affordable production. As predicted by Angelo Campus,  BoxPower CEO, “As outages and distribution costs increase across the country and world, the value of a microgrid is increasing rapidly. This combined with the decreasing cost of inputs will cause the microgrid adoption to skyrocket.” We are grateful for a fruitful 2020, and look forward to continued growth and exploration in the year to come. 

GRASS VALLEY, California, October 6, 2020—BoxPower, a provider of modular microgrid energy solutions, has been awarded a $1.2 million dollar grant by the California Energy Commission to further develop its software + hardware solution at 15 microgrid test sites in a diverse range of residential settings across California.

This three-year project under the designation of California Title 24 Advanced Power Utilization Technology, will provide critical insights into energy cost reduction strategies and increased energy resiliency. BoxPower’s work alongside partner, Evergreen Innovations, will seek to drive cost reductions, open new cash flow opportunities for batteries. reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and measure non-energy societal benefits, such as resiliency.

The key issue is the uncertainty of how a microgrid battery asset can be used to cover the initial investment. In the multi-megawatt commercial energy storage space, the latest business models provide multiple cash flow streams for batteries. For example, a battery can optimize financial return by using power stored in the battery during the most expensive time of use rate. Additional cash flow opportunities include frequency regulation and trading in multiple electricity markets.

Angelo Campus, BoxPower CEO and Co-founder notes, “This project is a significant step in California microgrid adoption. We will collect concrete data and identify the best options for developing residential microgrid use and industry standards.”

Customers in the past have used BoxPower’s modular microgrids in disaster relief, medical clinic, agriculture, remote power, and most recently, utility applications. This experience working with utilities will enable BoxPower to bring utility representatives into the research and testing process, ensuring the resulting solution works for all stakeholders.

Utilities have historically been expensive and unreliable in rural areas. BoxPower’s innovative approach to software design and process improvement combined with turnkey hardware and installation methods creates a repeatable and cost effective microgrid. BoxPower and the California Energy Commission look forward to partnering on this project to modernize the California utility grid. Microgrids are part of a move away from large-scale one-size fits all solutions to modern microservice architectures.

Modern Microservice Energy Solutions Offer:

●    Distributed control

●    Scalability of control

●    Interactions between grid stakeholders in ways not previously possible

●    Utility, operator and user interfaces

Watch for more news on microgrids as BoxPower begins work on this important California Energy Commission Project.

About the California Energy Commission

The California Energy Commission is transforming buildings through standards and programs for newly constructed and existing buildings. Learn more about the Energy Commission’s building energy efficiency standards, benchmarking programs, efficiency for existing buildings, and resources on how to comply at https://www.energy.ca.gov.

About BoxPower, Inc.

An employee-owned company located in Grass Valley California, BoxPower is a mission-driven social enterprise. BoxPower helps communities, governments, businesses, humanitarian and emergency relief agencies provide energy resilience when power supply from the grid is unavailable or unreliable.

BoxPower’s work has been featured in Fast Company, GreenBiz, and Microgrid Knowledge. BoxPower’s CEO and cofounder, Angelo Campus, was recognized as a Forbes 30 under 30 list maker for 2019. Learn more at BoxPower.io or contact Anderson Barkow co-founder and CFO at anderson@BoxPower.io or Dalan Angelo Director, Business Development at Dalan@BoxPower.io 530-802-5477.

Case Example: Light Manufacturing Company Replaces Generator with Solar Plus Battery Storage to Reduce Costs and Emissions

In December 2019, BoxPower deployed an off grid SolarContainer in Concord, CA that shows the strong economic, environmental, and logistical advantages for off grid commercial customers. These benefits include:

• Significant annual cost savings from reduction in generator fuel
• Range of options for amount of renewable energy production, up to 100%, with ability to meet air quality standards
• Turnkey system that installs in under one day, shipped anywhere

The example below illustrates the advantages of BoxPower systems for off-grid commercial applications, based on a client’s light manufacturing operation in Concord, CA that had been running on a diesel generator for 20 years, as they were not able to receive utility service to their facility.

BoxPower Process for Right-sizing Solar Plus Battery Systems for Optimum Benefit at Least Cost

Cost savings begins with right-sizing the system, no more and no less than what is required to meet both renewable energy and cost-saving goals. In order to recommend the optimal solar plus battery system and at the least cost, BoxPower offers its Energy Audit and System Integration (EASI) service. This process takes a detailed survey of current and planned energy usage as well as the customer’s current diesel generator usage. It then recommends a BoxPower system and the potential savings and financial analysis of the system. For this customer in Concord, CA, BoxPower’s EASI software recommended a 15kW PV array and 42kWh battery bank to integrate with the existing 30kW generator. This system was designed to reach 90% renewable energy utilization  with no generator usage as can be seen in the February 2020 data below.  

Diesel Generator Costs

In Concord, CA the average diesel price is $3.79 and projected to increase 4.5% per year through 2040 (EIA). Assuming the customer continues to use 2,300 gallons of diesel a year costing $8,700, the lifetime cost of only the diesel fuel totals 272,375 dollars over the 20 year useful life period. Assuming $250 of maintenance per year (GTI), this total cost increases to $275,375. Please note this does not include diesel procurement or storage costs which can increase costs above $5 per gallon. 

BoxPower Financial Benefits

The total cost of the BoxPower 15kW/42kWh system was $94,813 including our 1 day installation process due to BoxPower’s patented easy-to-assemble design. Lifetime savings compared to the diesel generator are $178,143 before any investment tax credit. With the 26% investment tax credit, lifetime savings increase to $202,795 and an ROI in year 6. This customer chose to purchase outright, but if mixed with BoxPower’s 15 year financing, the customer experiences day 1 savings. Please see the figure below showing savings for the customer.

 Environmental Benefits

Each gallon of diesel emits 22 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere (EIA). Since installation at the end of 2019, the Concord system has offset 11,509 pounds of carbon dioxide and will offset 1.1 million pounds of carbon dioxide over its life. For commercial and government entities who must meet air quality standards, the BoxPower solar plus battery systems provide an immediate solution. For those who wish to reduce generator use and emissions over time, all BoxPower systems are modular and easily scalable, enabling clients to add more solar and battery storage as their budgets allow, working toward renewable energy targets in an efficient and feasible way.

Logistics Benefits

Instead of worrying about diesel procurement, generator maintenance, or complicated custom solar and battery systems, BoxPower removes the headache and trouble by providing a turnkey, plug-and-play system that works on arrival, and that requires zero maintenance. Batteries and inverters are pre-wired inside a cargo container. BoxPower assembles pre-cut racking and the solar panels on site, and then commissions the system, all in a single day. Remote monitoring enables clients and BoxPower to assess system performance. 

BoxPower, Clean, Affordable, and Reliable Energy Anywhere

As seen by an off-grid commercial customer in California, there are significant value propositions in cost, simplicity, reliability, and sustainability for choosing BoxPower. Please reach out to sales@boxpower.io or visit our website https://boxpower.io to learn more. 

Whether motivated by values or the need to save money on generator fuel and utility bills, small and large commercial farms alike are increasingly being driven to renewable energy to power their greenhouses and agricultural buildings. “Even the small farms with just a few greenhouses are spending tens of thousands a year on electricity, whether via the grid or generator fuel,” says Tracy Huston, BoxPower’s Director of Partnerships who works with farmers to help them find cost-saving alternatives. “As the cost of solar panels and batteries has come down, renewable energy is now a way to cut farm operating costs by using the clean energy of the sun.” Now that some counties in California are mandating reduction if not the elimination of generator use for agriculture, many are looking for an affordable alternative. And with many states moving toward carbon taxes, many won’t be able to sustain energy-intensive farming practices without offsetting consumption with renewables.

Whether motivated by values or the need to save money on generator fuel and utility bills, small and large commercial farms alike are increasingly being driven to renewable energy to power their greenhouses and agricultural buildings. “Even the small farms with just a few greenhouses are spending tens of thousands a year on electricity, whether via the grid or generator fuel,” says Tracy Huston, BoxPower’s Director of Partnerships who works with farmers to help them find cost-saving alternatives. “As the cost of solar panels and batteries has come down, renewable energy is now a way to cut farm operating costs by using the clean energy of the sun.” Now that some counties in California are mandating reduction if not elimination of generator use for agriculture, many are looking for an affordable alternative. And with the likely move toward carbon taxes, many won’t be able to sustain energy-intensive farming practices without offsetting consumption with renewables.

BoxPower’s affordable solutions for agriculture offer turnkey solar plus battery systems that can be added to over time, allowing farmers to gain energy independence and reduce their energy costs as budgets allow. Founder and CEO Angelo Campus explains, “Our systems are modular, so you can start with a small solar array and a few batteries, then add more to meet your goals and as your resources and needs change.” BoxPower’s smallest system, the MiniBox, comes with a 9-panel 3.5kW solar array and 15.2kWh of lithium iron batteries, and can be scaled by adding additional rooftop or ground mount solar. The larger Solar Containers come pre-wired with inverters and batteries inside a 20’ cargo container, with arrays that range from 6kW to 22kW. Containers can be daisy-chained together to meet any load for the larger farm operations. Any of the systems can be off-grid or grid-tied. In counties requiring reduction of generator use, BoxPower’s “hybrid” solutions enable integration with a generator that recharges the batteries as needed, reducing fuel consumption and emissions. The modular nature of the system allows farmers to add more batteries over time to continue reducing generator use and move toward 100% renewable energy. Grid-tied farms can use the batteries for peak shaving to further reduce utility costs, as well as for emergency back-up power when the grid goes down—which, in California tends to happen at the worst times, during harvest season.

“One of our clients has been spending over $60,000 a year in generator fuel and maintenance alone, for a relatively small 10,000sf greenhouse operation. With our solar plus battery solution, we are getting her to 50% renewable now, with a scalable plan for 100% in future. The payback period for 50% renewable is about three years—it’s a no-brainer from a financial perspective,” says Huston.

For farms under pressure due to county air quality requirements, BoxPower offers a fast solution, with the plug-and-play, permit-ready systems able to be installed in under one day. “Each system is custom-designed, using pre-engineered components,” explains Campus. “We pre-wire the batteries and inverters in our shop in Grass Valley, pre-cut the racking system, and then ship just about anywhere. It saves months of time and thousands on typical solar installation costs.”

As an added benefit, the solar containers provide clean, usable space for storage or processing, complete with outlets and work lights. “For those who need more work space on their farms, the solar containers provide pristinely finished interiors, with sealed flooring and options for placement of outlets and work lights. So, you get clean energy and a farm building all-in-one, and at much less cost than buying a shed or constructing a stick-frame building. It’s hard to make a living as a farmer. We aim to take as much cost out of the system as we can, and leave more money in farmers’ pockets!”

For more information about BoxPower solar plus battery solutions, see www.boxpower.io or email info@boxpower.io.

Whether motivated by values or the need to save money on generator fuel and utility bills, small and large commercial farms alike are increasingly being driven to renewable energy to power their greenhouses and agricultural buildings. “Even the small farms with just a few greenhouses are spending tens of thousands a year on electricity, whether via the grid or generator fuel,” says Tracy Huston, BoxPower’s Director of Partnerships who works with farmers to help them find cost-saving alternatives. “As the cost of solar panels and batteries has come down, renewable energy is now a way to cut farm operating costs by using the clean energy of the sun.” Now that some counties in California are mandating reduction if not the elimination of generator use for agriculture, many are looking for an affordable alternative. And with many states moving toward carbon taxes, many won’t be able to sustain energy-intensive farming practices without offsetting consumption with renewables.

“One of our clients has been spending over $60,000 a year in generator fuel and maintenance alone, for a relatively small 10,000 sf greenhouse operation. With our solar plus battery solution, we are getting her to 50% renewable now, with a scalable plan for 100% in the future. The payback period for 50% renewable is about three years—it’s a no-brainer from a financial perspective,” says Huston. At another farm, grid-tied with an indoor nursery, BoxPower is reducing utility bills by 80%, using the solar to power operations during the day, and the batteries to provide even more energy during their peak rate times and when consumption is highest.

BoxPower’s affordable solutions for agriculture offer turnkey solar plus battery systems that can be added to over time, allowing farmers to gain energy independence and continually reduce their energy costs, as budgets allow. Founder and CEO Angelo Campus explains, “Our systems are modular, so you can start with a small solar array and a few batteries, then add more to meet your goals and as your resources and needs change.” BoxPower’s smallest system, the MiniBox, comes with a 9-panel 3.5kW solar array and 15.2kWh of lithium iron batteries, and can be scaled by adding additional rooftop or ground mount solar. The larger Solar Containers come pre-wired with inverters and batteries inside a 20’ cargo container, with arrays that range from 6kW to 22kW (up to 60 panels). Containers can be daisy-chained together to meet any load for the larger farm operations. Any of the systems can be off-grid or grid-tied. In counties requiring reduction of generator use, BoxPower’s “hybrid” solutions enable integration with a generator that recharges the batteries as needed, reducing fuel consumption and emissions. The modular nature of the system allows farmers to add more batteries over time to continue reducing generator use and move toward 100% renewable energy. Grid-tied farms can use the batteries for peak shaving to further reduce utility costs, as well as for emergency back-up power when the grid goes down—which, in California tends to happen at the worst times, during harvest season.

For farms under pressure due to county air quality requirements, BoxPower offers a fast solution, with the plug-and-play, permit-ready systems able to be installed in a single day. “Each system is custom-configured, using pre-engineered components,” explains Campus. “We pre-wire the batteries and inverters in our shop in Grass Valley, pre-cut the racking system, and then ship just about anywhere. It saves months of time and thousands on typical solar installation costs.”

As an added benefit, the solar containers provide clean, usable space for storage or processing, complete with outlets and work lights. “For those who need more workspace on their farms, the solar containers provide pristinely finished interiors, with sealed flooring and options for placement of outlets and work lights. So, you get clean energy and a farm building all-in-one, and at much less cost than buying a shed or constructing a stick-frame building. It’s hard to make a living as a farmer. We aim to take as much cost out of the system as we can, and leave more money in farmers’ pockets!”

For more information about BoxPower solar plus battery solutions, see www.boxpower.io or email info@boxpower.io.