July 10, 2024
AIL Sound Walls were recently installed to control unwanted noise from a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) that was added to San Diego Gas & Electric’s (SDG&E’s) Clairemont microgrid substation. In this case, our lightweight PVC noise barrier walls were installed on concrete retaining walls and deftly navigated incremental step heights, corners and other site anomalies.
Microgrids are small-scale electric grids that can operate independently of, or in parallel to, the larger regional grid and can keep critical community facilities powered during outages. BESS technology is an important part of every microgrid. It captures and stores renewable energy from wind or solar when it is abundant during the day, then sends that energy back to the grid when it is needed most, such as at night or during adverse weather events.
Issues with BESS technology noise have grown greatly in recent years as microgrid projects are being built in more densely populated areas. BESS units primarily emit noise from their cooling systems, but other components like inverters and transformers also produce noise.
AIL Sound Walls also selected for another SDG&E microgrid/BESS site
Good communication was a huge aspect of this project. Project planning took some time as multiple options were given and some revisions and re-costing were required to meet the client’s needs. However, thanks to timely responses from all parties, we were able to get the project moving forward and our project contractor/partner Suffolk was awarded the job.
The project using our Tuf-Barrier (Reflective) system rolled along smoothly and we were able to stay on schedule and on budget. SDG&E and Suffolk were happy with the results and came back to us for a subsequent project for their Paradise substation.
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