A new project in the Northern Tahoe Region known as The Olympic Valley Microgrid Project aims to leverage Tesla’s battery technology to harness surplus wind and solar power. The microgrid would deliver the necessary power for daily operations at Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows backed by an 8 megawatt battery storage bank that brings tangible benefits to surrounding communities.

The distributed energy model is well-suited for alpine resorts whose energy demands are seasonal, predictable and highly fluctuating. It is a sustainable approach that addresses California’s mandate to generate 50 percent of its energy supply by renewable resources by 2030.

The potential utility owner and operator, Liberty Utilities, would use the distributed power source to complement their existing infrastructure. It supports further development of renewable energy sources by increasing system reliability and offsetting the use of fossil fuels during periods of peak demand.

The project site location is near an area referred to as the Gold Coast, which is an existing on-mountain facility at Squaw Valley. The proposal is still subject to review and awaiting approval by the California Public Utilities Commission and Placer County.