Real Analysis. Real Savings.
See how our hour-by-hour simulation has helped clients find cost-reduction opportunities they didn't know existed.
Public Sports Complex — Solar + Storage Analysis
The Challenge
A 28-acre public sports complex development in Newton, Iowa projected annual electricity consumption of 4,500 MWh — roughly $600,000 per year at current rates, escalating to a projected $23.5 million over 25 years. The development team needed to determine whether on-site solar generation with energy storage could meaningfully reduce long-term energy costs, and if so, what system size would deliver the best financial outcome.
Our Analysis
We modeled three solar + supercapacitor storage configurations (3.2 MW, 5 MW, and 10 MW solar, each paired with 1 MWh of supercapacitor storage) against a grid-only baseline. Each scenario was simulated hour by hour across a full year of projected consumption data, accounting for ITC tax credits, solar buyback rates, grid electricity escalation at 3.5% annually, and 25-year lifecycle costs. Supercapacitors were selected over lithium-ion batteries for their superior cycle life (20,000–60,000 cycles) and 95–98% round-trip efficiency, delivering the lowest levelized cost of energy.
The Results
- 5 MW system delivered the lowest 25-year energy cost: $13.4M — a 43% reduction vs. the $23.5M grid-only baseline
- 3.2 MW system achieved the fastest breakeven (13 years) and highest Year 1 ROI (6.82%) — ideal for budget-constrained projects
- 10 MW system, despite the largest solar array, showed the slowest payback (23 years) due to diminishing returns on excess solar revenue
- Every scenario outperformed grid-only — the question was not whether to invest, but how much
- Analysis identified opportunity to improve returns further by increasing storage capacity to capture more excess solar generation
SOLAR
Only
Solar
Solar
Solar
Scott River Lodge — Off-Grid Generator + Storage Optimization
The Challenge
Scott River Lodge operates entirely off-grid in a remote, forested region of Alaska with no utility power available. The lodge relied on four aging diesel generators running around the clock, consuming fuel at $3.81/gallon. With annual electricity consumption of 7,395 MWh and projected 25-year energy costs of $4.47 million, the lodge needed a strategy to dramatically reduce fuel consumption and operating costs — despite being in a sub-optimal location for solar due to mountainous, heavily forested terrain.
Our Analysis
We translated the lodge’s fuel consumption data into electrical load profiles using generator spec sheets, then ran multiple simulations combining a high-efficiency Cummins C250 replacement generator with various solar and supercapacitor storage configurations. We also modeled larger solar + storage scenarios (up to 3.78 MW solar with 7.9 MWh storage) and a 1.5 MW wind option to give the lodge a full picture of available strategies. Supercapacitors were selected for their 20,000–60,000 cycle life and 95–98% round-trip efficiency — critical for an off-grid site with daily charge/discharge cycles.
The Results
- Best-value configuration cut 25-year energy costs by 54% — from $4.47M to $2.06M with just 50 kW solar + 432 kWh supercapacitor storage
- Generator runtime dropped from 12,745 to just 814 hours/year — a 94% reduction
- Breakeven in 6 years with a Year 1 ROI of 17.97% on a net CAPEX of $399,721
- Even generator + storage alone (no solar) delivered 39% savings and 15.32% ROI
- Analysis revealed the existing generator configuration was operating at sub-optimal efficiency — simply upgrading the generator unlocked most of the savings
GEN HRS
System
Storage
+ Storage
Reduction
Period
ROI
Village of Wainwright, Alaska — Arctic Microgrid Optimization
The Challenge
The village of Wainwright, Alaska operates entirely off-grid, relying on diesel generators running 24/7 to power the community. With diesel delivered at $5.81 per gallon and consumption approaching 500,000 gallons annually, the village faced first-year fuel costs of $2.84 million — projected to reach $6.8 million by year 25. The village needed to evaluate whether solar, wind, and energy storage could meaningfully reduce costs despite the extreme arctic location, where solar generation is limited to roughly half the year.
Our Analysis
We modeled five configurations against the generator-only baseline: solar-only (900 kW with Mechatron dual-axis trackers), two solar + supercapacitor storage combinations (1.35 MW and 3.2 MW solar with 8 MWh storage), storage-only, and a 1.5 MW wind turbine array. Each scenario was simulated hour by hour across a full year of load data, with 3.5% annual fuel escalation projected over 25 years. Dual-axis solar trackers were critical at this latitude — bifacial panels also benefited from snow reflection, generating peak output above rated capacity.
The Results
- 3.2 MW Solar + 8 MWh Storage delivered the lowest 25-year cost: $88.2M — a $29.3 million reduction (25%) vs. the $117.5M baseline
- 900 kW Solar achieved the fastest breakeven (6 years) and highest Year 1 ROI (17.32%) at just $3M net CAPEX — saving $16.1M over 25 years
- Wind (1.5 MW) delivered a competitive 8.83% ROI but underperformed solar in total savings — Wainwright is not an ideal wind location
- Storage-only actually increased 25-year costs — confirming that renewable generation is the primary savings driver
- Even in the Arctic with solar limited to half the year, every solar configuration delivered strong returns and reduced generator runtime by up to 41%
ONLY
Only
Wind
Solar
Solar+Stor
Savings
Breakeven
ROI