Endurant Energy used Xendee’s platform to assess technical and financial options for new distributed energy resources (DER) at three California facilities, helping the client choose linear generators as the optimal solution, which will reduce energy costs, enhance resilience, and unlock investment tax credits.
Figure 1: GIS view of the Crestwood Fallbrook facility within Xendee, showing key DER technologies such as a linear generator, solar PV, building load, controller, and utility connection. Xendee’s platform supports modeling for 25 different types of distributed energy technologies.
Challenge:
Endurant Energy has contracted with a leading behavioral health organization to reduce utility energy costs at three California locations. Before providing turnkey engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services, Endurant helped the customer assess the technical and financial merits of various distributed energy resources (DER).
Solution:
Endurant developed energy utilization profiles based on 12 months of 15-minute interval data for each facility in the portfolio. These utilization profiles and their applicable utility tariffs were used to evaluate cogeneration and linear generator solutions.
Figure 2: GIS view of the Crestwood San Diego facility. Unlike the Fallbrook site, solar PV was not included at this location. This highlights Xendee’s adaptability to site-specific challenges, such as space constraints, variable loads, differing technologies, weather conditions, fuel prices, utility tariffs, incentive programs, and financing options.
Using Xendee, many iterations of each project were assessed to determine the impacts of different investment scenarios, dispatch methodologies, and utility escalation assumptions. Endurant facilitated a data-driven customer decision by providing proformas with clear explanations. New DER investment models accounted for existing solar PV, accurately reflecting how the two onsite generation technologies will interact.
Result:
Figure 3: Optimized dispatch for a peak day in August generated by Xendee. The microgrid includes a utility connection, onsite solar PV, and a linear generator for self-consumption. The system meets most of the demand throughout the day, with only minimal utility purchases during the morning, evening, and early afternoon. In the afternoon, excess solar PV is exported back to the grid, maximizing system efficiency and cost savings.
Using Xendee data and analysis, the customer concluded that linear generators are the optimal solution. And Endurant modeled dozens of technical and investment possibilities without burdening internal analytics staff. The tool added credibility to Endurant’s deliverables and helped Endurant maintain an objective position in the feasibility stage.
Likewise, Xendee empowered customer leadership to understand the financial benefits of investment tax credits unlocked via this portfolio. Endurant is now implementing the linear generator solution and looks forward to delivering long-term energy costs savings and resilience for years to come.