The Challenge

Grocery Outlet, one of the largest value retailers in the US, expressed interest in participating in a demand response pilot program with their local electric utility. One of the factors driving the store to explore cost-saving options was the rate at which retail electricity prices have been rising. With a summer peak energy charge of just under 20¢/ kilowatt-hour (kWh) and a demand charge of $40/kilowatt (kW), mitigating electric utility expenses became mission critical. Baker Electric, one of California’s leading solar and storage installers, was brought on to outfit the store with a behind-the-meter energy storage system (ESS). Baker was tasked with the challenge of procuring tier 1 ESS equipment within a predetermined timeframe and meeting all the standards set by the utility to participate in the pilot program.

The Solution

As a long-time ETB Developer user, Baker Electric brought on Energy Toolbase to help procure a turnkey, tier 1 ESS system and see the project through to commissioning. The Grocery Outlet is part of a four-site portfolio where Baker has been enlisted to deploy ESS as part of the local utility’s demand response integration pilot program. With Energy Toolbase, Baker swiftly secured a BYD Chess 60 kW 4-hour unit delivered to the Grocery Outlet site fully integrated with ETB Controller and Acumen AI™, ready to start scheduling dispatch commands through the ETB Monitor platform. The system was configured for demand charge management and TOU arbitrage. ETB Controller with Acumen AI dynamically forecasts site load and utility signals to optimize dispatch in real time, maximizing electric bill savings.