Off-Grid Microgrid Solution for a Cold Storage Facility in California’s Central Valley

Scale Microgrids partnered with ComAp to deliver an off-grid microgrid solution for a cold storage facility in Madera, in California’s Central Valley. Facing significant delays in utility connection due to poor and unreliable grid infrastructure in rural areas, the cold storage facility turned to Scale Microgrids for a reliable, cost-effective, and entirely off-grid solution. The modern facility aims to offer 100 million pounds of state-of-the-art cold storage capacity to extend the shelf life of produce and boost profitability for the region’s farmers.

Scale Microgrids deployed a complete ComAp control solution to manage the fully integrated microgrid, which includes solar photovoltaic panels, battery energy storage, and two low-emission natural gas gen-sets. The system is operated by ComAp’s InteliNeo 6000 controller, supported by two InteliGen 1000 controllers. The InteliNeo 6000 prioritises solar energy use, optimises battery storage dispatch, and minimises reliance on traditional fuel sources to reduce CO₂ emissions. Scale Microgrids defined the sequence of operations and developed and deployed the InteliNeo and InteliGen configurations with support from ComAp’s US-based application engineering team.

With the support of ComAp’s microgrid control solution, Scale Microgrids delivered a system that provides reliable power 24/7 and operates the facility entirely on solar and battery power for 12 to 18 hours a day, independently of the grid. Between April and December 2024 alone, the system significantly reduced the site's reliance on fossil fuels. Compared to natural gas gen-sets, approximately 377 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent were avoided, and relative to grid-supplied electricity, emissions were reduced by a further 48 tonnes*. By allowing the site to meet the majority of its energy needs with renewables, ComAp’s control solution played a key role in helping Scale reduce the customer’s energy costs by 30% and lower emissions across the board, while also avoiding the interconnection delays that would have postponed the plant’s operation by years.