BBHSP continues to work with Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) and Shasta County to improve our on-site electrical systems by upgrading our electrical systems (the new 400-amp 3-phase grid connection, with solar array and high-tech transformer are now in service!), We have also spent years running underground lines to various areas and buildings, and working on the huge challenge of moving some problematic power poles, starting with moving the poles & lines that cross the Pit River Ahjoohmah to a better location (*FMI on the power line relocation project, please see the evolving post (updated with new progress) on this website about that, here: http://www.bigbendhotsprings.org/power-line-relocation/).
Moving the poles and river crossing, combined with burying the lines from the river bank to the main pole will mean that there will no longer power and phone lines running over the hot springs and the creek/bridge nor the garden!!
It’s a labor of love that will allow us to generate tons of clean energy to contribute to the grid, and it is all part of modernizing and improving the growing facilities and also very importantly, it will hemp “harden” our lines and systems to help avoid potential fires.
As BBHSP forges ahead with the protracted process of bringing the vast campgrounds, retreat facilities, and natural recreational areas up to safe standards and codes approved, a three-phase and overhauled electrical system will make a lot of things easier and possible. We are building systems to generate elecrticity from the sun and from the hot geothermal waters!
Over the years, we have adujsted the scope of our Master Plan to refect lessons learned on the project and to flow with the ever-changing and challenging times we face these days. One of the original BBHSP founders, Skip Towne, was an electician and a solar PV systems installer. Skip felt we would be smart to upgrade to the three-phase (400 amp) grid-tied service, since the BBHSP project and faclities are planned to grow subtantially in coming years, and we have had longterm goals to generate electricity from both solar and geothermal generators.
With the amount of power we will be generating, the industrial level three-phase grid (400-amp) connection will make it smoother as we sell electricity to the grid through through our upgraded PG&E service connection.
We never gave up Skip’s vision and to this day, we are still working on the electrical system upgrades that Skip spearheaded, including the three-phase service; the relocation of overhead power lines to cross Pit River further upstream; running underground power lines to campgrounds and parking/entrance areas; the restoration of power to upper gate area; and undergrounding a section of power lines that currently run directly overhead through the garden.
Below are examples of common uses for three-phase electrical systems compared to appliances on a single-phase system:
Three-Phase Electrical Systems:
- Industrial Machinery: Heavy machinery and equipment used in manufacturing plants, factories, and industrial settings often run on three-phase power. This includes motors, compressors, large-scale pumps, conveyor belts, and heavy-duty equipment.
- Commercial Buildings: Larger commercial facilities such as office buildings, shopping malls, and hospitals may use three-phase power for their HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) systems and elevators due to their higher power demands.
- Commercial Power Generation: Larger commercial facilities for selling power into the grid system generally require larger service connections to keep the electrons moving along to and from our grid connection. Adding a geothermal generator (in addition to the initial PV solar array), for example, will likey generate so much power, that it alone would warrant the service upgrade.
- Data Centers: Data centers that require substantial power to operate servers, cooling systems, and other infrastructure often employ three-phase power for efficiency and reliability.
- Construction Sites: Some construction sites utilize three-phase power for powering heavy construction equipment, cranes, and power tools.
AND, we have been working on undergrounding the extending network of power lines from the river bank to the main grid-tied transformer pole, and to various remote parts of the property.
In essence, three-phase power is favored in scenarios requiring higher power capacities and efficiency, especially in heavy industrial and commercial settings. Single-phase power, on the other hand, is suitable for lighter loads and commonly used in residential settings and smaller businesses for everyday appliances and equipment.
The new three-phase electrical service connection upgrade is an exciting and helpful deluxe improvement, appropriate for the BBHSP’S evolving expansion, including the extended long distances we plan to run power to remote zones, and for the overall energy efficiency for the large BBHSP site, as excited home-made electrons zip along, coming and going to and from the grid…
The new service and improved equipment will help BBHSP finish building the large grid-tied solar array, the new Geothermal Generator, and associated equipment for pumping, cooling, inversion, switching, and battery storage systems. We are already generating way more power than we use, with the solar system alone (see graph at the bottom of this page). Out next beg challenge will be to set up and hook up the Geothermal Generator!
While three-phase electrical service can be used in grid-tied solar arrays or other local generators, it’s not a strict requirement to sell power to the grid. The ability to sell power to the grid depends more on the specific regulations, standards, and technical requirements of the utility company or grid operator where the solar array is connected.
Special equipment is needed for special electrical generation and safe distribution. Electricians Dave and Mikey are continuously making magic happen with lots of high-techstuff and lots of expertise!
Three-phase systems can have certain advantages in terms of power distribution and efficiency, but the ability to sell power back to the grid primarily depends on meeting the technical and safety standards set by the utility company rather than specifically requiring a three-phase connection.
The connection method and requirements for selling power back to the grid are dictated by local regulations and the utility company’s interconnection standards. These standards generally include detailed specifications for the type of inverters used, safety features, voltage and frequency regulations, metering requirements, etc.
This is a series of several large scale and technically complex projects and phases that are taking many years and plenty of hardcore engineering (and funding), as we face the big challenges of collaborating with PG&E and a bunch of other regulatory agencies. It takes a devoted and skilled team: Sy took this picture (below) of the Timberhenge solar array system installation partial crew family (having a celebratory meal together), with several members missing:
Power to the People~ !!
