en.Wedoany.com Reported - Scale, a leader in advanced on-site energy solutions, has been awarded a $4.2 million grant from the California Energy Commission for the Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) Community Resilience Hub project. The funding, distributed through the Community Energy Reliability and Resilience Investment (CERRI) program, will support the construction of a campus microgrid integrating solar power, battery storage, and electric vehicle charging.

Santa Barbara County's grid faces a high risk of power outages, with average outage duration and frequency more than double those of other Southern California Edison systems. According to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) data, the region's natural disaster risk ranks in the 99.4th percentile; the local grid relies on a single transmission line traversing 40 miles of terrain prone to wildfires, earthquakes, and landslides.

To address these challenges, the CERRI program will fund Scale's implementation of the SBCC Community Resilience Hub project, covering the non-solar generation portion of the system, including batteries and microgrid components. The microgrid will provide backup power during outages, enabling the campus to serve as a designated community resilience hub, ensuring critical services such as electric vehicle chargers remain operational during emergencies and supporting the surrounding community.

Shea Hughes, Vice President of Business Development at Scale, expressed gratitude for the Energy Commission's support. He noted that Santa Barbara faces unique grid reliability challenges and vulnerabilities, making local resilience solutions such as solar power, battery storage, and microgrids an urgent community need.

Thanks to the reliable, resilient energy provided by the microgrid, the campus will be able to serve as a safe gathering place where residents can access supplies, charge electronic devices, and receive medical care. SBCC already has an existing disaster relief agreement with the American Red Cross, and this project will further strengthen its role as a community lifeline.

During normal "blue sky" operations, the microgrid will also benefit SBCC. By combining battery storage with solar generation, the microgrid can store solar energy during the day and discharge it during peak demand periods, reducing peak demand and lowering electricity costs. The system will also alleviate pressure on the broader grid and position SBCC as a leader in energy innovation and resilience.

The project is being developed in partnership with the Community Environmental Council in Santa Barbara, which will support local engagement activities. The local workforce will also benefit through the creation of union-supported jobs and internship opportunities.

As of May 2026, the project is in the planning and design phase.

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