Energy management and automation company Schneider Electric and marine energy technology firm ORPC signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on microgrid projects to advance marine energy as a commercially viable renewable energy source.
Through this collaboration, ORPC and Schneider Electric will install microgrid systems that include Schneider Electric’s energy storage and smart microgrid controllers integrated with ORPC’s RivGen Power Systems to provide communities worldwide with highly predictable baseload electricity in renewable energy form, enabling the global transition towards net-zero societies.
Schneider Electric and ORPC are already working on implementing this solution in partnership with the remote, tribal community of Igiugig, Alaska. When this project is completed in the summer of 2023, the integrated system will form the grid for the community, moving the existing diesel generators to back-up and enabling the village to operate without diesel for between 60% and 90% of the time.
In Igiugig, ORPC’s RivGen Power System has proven successful operating through three winters with temperatures going as low as -40 degrees C. As a result of environmental monitoring of the Igiugig project, comprising hundreds of hours of data, not a single injury or mortality to marine or aquatic life has been observed.
Schneider Electric supplied battery energy storage system (BESS) with EcoStruxure Microgrid Operation to enable use of the RivGen Power System for diesel reduction. This is achieved by leveraging the Grid forming capability of the Schneider Electric BESS.
ORPC has already received inbound interest in its power systems from over 40 countries. Schneider’s global operations include offices in over 100 countries which will enable the two companies to build a global pipeline of projects.
