The city of Fort Wayne, Indiana, turned on a new hybrid microgrid this week to power its Three Rivers Filtration Plant, Water Pollution Control Plant and Wet-Weather Pump Station.
The microgrid includes more than 1,200 floating solar panels installed on a storage pond, a battery energy storage system and biogas and natural gas connections. The solar panels will generate around 9 million kWh of power annually, with biogas providing another 7 million kWh.
The renewable resources will provide roughly 40% of the 38.5 million kWh needed to power the three facilities each year.
City Utilities, the water utility for Fort Wayne, worked with engineering firm Solential to design a system that would increase the utility’s renewable energy generation capacity as well as improve its resilience and disaster readiness stances.
The microgrid will combine solar or battery power, depending on which is most effective for the day, with biogas produced from food waste and natural gas.
It will also provide much needed resilience for the critical services provided by the city’s water and wastewater facilities.
"Our microgrid is one of only a few in the nation for water and sewer utilities. It is designed to cut electricity costs and boost reliability well into the future," Kumar Menon, director of City Utilities, said in a statement. "It allows us to operate independently from the national grid, ensuring continuous service during storms. It reinforces our commitment to environmental stewardship by using natural resources and combining them with waste to generate power."
In Texas, water utilities in Houston, North Fort Bend rely on microgrids to power critical infrastructure in the wake of severe storms.
Facilities in California and Washington D.C. are also developing microgrids.
Clean energy, clean water, lower costs
The Fort Wayne City Utilities microgrid is expected to save between $8 million and $10 million in avoided electricity costs in the first 20 years, and between $60 million and $70 million over the next 40 years.
“Our microgrid brings clear environmental and economic benefits,” said Matthew Wirtz, deputy director of engineering for City Utilities. “We're confident it will increase reliability in emergencies and diminish storm-related vulnerabilities.”
On the environmental front, the microgrid is expected to reduce the utility’s annual greenhouse gas emissions by 4,600 tons, the equivalent of 1,161 gas-powered vehicles in a year.
"Being good stewards of the environment is at the forefront of the efforts being led by City Utilities," said Sharon Tucker, mayor of Fort Wayne. "Using renewable energy technology sets a positive example for residents and businesses that we care about Fort Wayne and want what’s best for our community. Projects like the microgrid initiative help us provide an enhanced quality of life for all."
Already an award-winning microgrid
Before the microgrid was even turned on it was recognized for its innovative approach to providing sustainable, resilient power to the water utility.
Earlier this month, the project was named the 2024 Indiana Green Project of the Year by Accelerate Indiana Municipalities. It also received the 2024 Utility of the Future Award, which is presented by the Water Environment Federation, North Association of Clean Water Agencies, The Water Research Foundation, US Water Alliance, and WaterReuse.
Fort Wayne’s history dates back to the late 18th century. It was formed at the confluence of three rivers–the St. Joseph, St. Marys and Maumee. Today, it is the second largest city in the state.
In 2023, the city launched the initial phase of Sustaining Fort Wayne, the blueprint for how it will address the impact of climate change on its residents.
