After undergoing two Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events in the fall of 2020, Berkeley Lab is now taking steps to improve the resilience of its energy systems. This effort is raising new requirements for sustainable energy systems as the Lab works toward a unified vision of how renewable generation and storage, along with changes in the way the Lab deploys traditional diesel generators, can form a more resilient energy system. 

Change will happen incrementally, guided by a new vision that involves:

  • Thinking beyond the challenge of PSPS events to anticipate a broad range of likely hazards, including earthquakes and wildfires.
  • Investigating steps to transform an existing electricity distribution system into an increasingly flexible microgrid.
  • Developing distributed generation assets that can provide benefit across multiple facilities able to adapt to unforeseen hazard conditions.
  • Developing new implementation strategies for renewables and storage that reduce greenhouse emissions but also meet needs during emergencies.