A growing focus of U.S. industrial companies is the installation of onsite energy generation and storage systems to capture a range of benefits including increased resiliency, lower energy costs, and reduced emissions.

Local energy resources drive technology options, including combined heat and power, fuel cells, geothermal, solar energy, waste heat to power, wind powers, and more. Onsite energy storage technologies further improve the impact of onsite energy generation and enhance flexibility.

Onsite energy generation technologies can enhance resiliency by helping manufacturers keep operating during power outages, avoiding costly shutdowns. They help manufacturers control their operating costs, shielding them from rising energy prices and are deployed by U.S. businesses in support of their goals of lowering their environmental impacts. Learn more about how onsite energy supports resiliency, cost savings, and more here.

DOE's Onsite Energy Program provides technical assistance, feasibility analysis, and resources to industrial facilities and other large energy users interested in onsite energym and engages with stakeholders to facilitate more widespread adoption of onsite energy technologies. More information is available here.

Explore additional resources specific to Better Plants partners and connect with the renewables, distributed generation, and microgrids- subject matter expert below.

Presentations

Learn about innovative, replicable renewables, distributed generation, and microgrid-related solutions and best practices implemented by Better Plants Program and Better Plants Challenge partners.

The Road to Energy Independence: Exploring Onsite Energy Options for Industry

Onsite energy generation and storage projects offer industrial sites numerous benefits, including saving money, increasing site resiliency, enhancing energy productivity, and reducing emissions. Learn how Better Plants partners - Fort Wayne City Utilities and Oshkosh Corporation leveraged onsite energy projects to solve their unique challenges. Learn about resources that are available for industrial companies interested in exploring onsite energy and how the DOE's Onsite Energy Technical Assistance Partnerships (TAPs) can help.

Insight into Onsite Energy: Onsite Renewable Energy and Storage for Industry

Learn from participants of the Onsite Renewable Energy and Storage Working Group- W.L. Gore, Stryker and Ford Motor Company- about onsite energy projects at their facilities and key takeaways on topics including technology options, cost estimation and financing opportunities, engaging with utilities, and more. Find out more about the Onsite Energy Technical Assistance Partnerships (TAPs) and how they can support end users when deploying onsite renewable energy and storage technologies.

Right Onsite: Integrating Onsite Energy in Buildings and Plants

Learn from Better Buildings, Better Plants partners HARBEC, Siemens, and Montgomery County MD, that are using onsite technologies - solar, storage, combined heat and power, and wind - to configure multi-technology microgrids to meet emissions reduction goals. Technical assistance, tools, and resources to help large energy users explore a broader range of onsite energy technology options were also shared.

The Fuel Truth: Adopting Renewable Fuels

It can be easy to get lost in the world of alternative fuels, but this panel discussion helped navigate the landscape. Partners Chemours and DSM North America share information on different types and sources of alternative fuels, accounting practices, and more.

Beyond Solar: Other Renewable Energy and Thermal & Energy Storage Strategies

Renewable energy conversations often revolve around solar, wind, and on-site batteries; however, success has been found leveraging other renewable energy resources and energy-storage techniques. These include small-scale hydroelectricity and various forms of thermal and electric energy storage. In this session, partners - Bard College and Cornell University shared real-world examples - that highlighted innovative, cost-competitive strategies beyond the typical renewables dialogue.

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Solutions

Learn about innovative, replicable onsite generation and storage solutions and best practices implemented by Better Plants Challenge partners.

Lockheed Martin: Transforming a Parking Lot into an Energy-Generating Solar Carport

As part of Lockheed Martin Corporation's commitment to reduce emissions per dollar of gross profit by 70% by 2030, the organization identified the Sand Lake Road Campus (SLRC) in Orlando, Florida, as an ideal site to convert a parking lot into a renewable energy-generating solar carport. The 4-acre array was completed at the end of 2021 with a capacity of 2 MW, which is estimated to generate 3,595,000 kWh per year, avoiding $581,000 in utility costs and 1,364 metric tons of C)2 equivalent annually.

Onsite Energy Options for Biotechnology Manufacturer and Better Climate Challenge Partner Genentech

Genentech's distribution center in Louisville, KY was exploring onsite energy solutions, including maximizing solar PVs, planning for electric vehicle charging, and evaluating a lower-emission backup power system. The findings demonstrated that maximizing onsite PV capacity and a complementary battery storage system showed significant promise for energy cost savings and emissions reduction, especially when including the electrification of delivery trucks. This assessment justified moving forward with conceptual engineering funding to further refine the feasibility of these energy solutions.

Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority: Omnivore Co-Digestion and Recuperative Thickener

Victor Valley Wastewater Reclamation Authority (VVWRA) implemented the Omnivore Co-Digestion and Recuperative Thickener system, increasing biogas production by 150% and enabling the facility to replace natural gas with biogas for energy needs. This upgrade allowed VVWRA to generate up to 500,000 cubic feet of biogas per day, supporting two 800 kW combined heat and power units that provide heat and electricity while reducing reliance on grid-purchased power.

Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems: Installing a Solar Photovoltaic System to Reduce Costs and Emissions

Bendix chose the Huntington campus as its first North American site to build an onsite solar photovoltaic system. The $1.6 million project will produce 1,500,000 kWh per year, reduce the Bendix Huntington Plant's grid-supplied electricity consumption by 30%, and lower the campus' emissions.

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Onsite Energy Generation and Storage

Subject Matter Experts

Paul Lemar

Kalie Miera

Indraneel Bhandari