Graciosa

Supplying energy for an entire island community entails a unique skillset beyond simply connecting inverters and batteries – which is why Graciolica Lda engaged Greensmith Energy, a Wärtsilä Company. Leveraging the industry-leading Greensmith Energy Management System (GEMS), the Graciosa island grid will be able to address baseload supply requirements while accommodating fluctuations in output that are inherent to energy supplied from renewable sources, such as solar and wind.

The optimisation and monitoring capabilities of the GEMS platform will maximize the performance and longevity of the Graciosa energy system. Data inputs from SCADA, electric meters, HVAC, as well as weather forecasts are evaluated within GEMS for optimal energy distribution. But the relationship doesn’t stop with the deployment. Greensmith will also provide software maintenance services under a five-year agreement.

Upon completion, the Graciosa Hybrid Renewable Power Plant will enable 1 MW of solar,4.5 MW of wind power and 6 MW/3.2 MWh energy storage system to be supplied to the local grid, reducing the islands’ reliance on petroleum imports and significantly reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Graciolica Lda’s end client, local utility EDA, anticipates this investment will boost renewable energy consumption from 15% to 65% once the plant is fully operational in late 2018 and eliminate the need for 17,000 liters of diesel per month. Not only does this reduce the island’s carbon footprint, the hybrid island grid will also greatly impact the cost of energy going forward.