The Bolinas Community Center has partnered with MCE to power up a battery storage system, keeping electricity flowing for critical needs during outages.
“We’re taking practical steps to enhance our center's resilience so that our community continues to receive critical services – even during power outages,” said Randi Arnold, Executive Director of the Bolinas Community Center.
The Bolinas Community Center can now provide reliable backup power during emergencies, reinforcing the community’s ability to prepare, respond, and recover from disruptions.
Most of the project’s cost – over $40,000 – was funded through contributions from MCE, the Marin Community Foundation, and the California Public Utility Commission’s Self Generation Incentive Program.
“The benefit of having MCE as the area’s local electricity provider is that our communities get to decide how we invest in projects like adding battery storage at the Bolinas Community Center, keeping key services running smoothly when folks need them most,” said Katie Rice, MCE Board Member and District 2 Marin County Supervisor.
Each day when the sun is shining, the battery charges using solar produced onsite. When the sun goes down and electricity is most expensive, the building draws from the battery to support its power needs. By using their battery power during peak hours, the Bolinas Community Center reduces its own costs and helps make more energy available for others in the community.
The 23 kilowatt-hour battery storage project:
Reduces energy costs and carbon emissions, and
Will earn the facility nearly $2,000 in MCE bill credits and up to $0.22 per kilowatt-hour over seven years for discharging the battery when energy is most expensive.
The Richmond Advanced Energy Community is supported by a $5 million grant from the California Energy Commission and up to $2.8 million in match funding from various partners including the City of Richmond, CalEPA, and MCE. The project aims to help create a cleaner, more reliable electric grid while also addressing low-income housing needs.
