Remote Cabin in Northern Utah
Installer: Intermountain Wind and Solar
Project Overview
Set against the green farmland of Lancaster County, Springville Foods is now primarily powered by the sun and batteries. This image shows the store, PV array, and surrounding agricultural facilities that rely on resilient power.
Springville Foods is a full-service grocery store nestled in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country, serving a loyal base of Amish and rural customers since 2004. Like many businesses in remote or underserved areas, it historically depended on diesel generators to meet its energy needs, operating both a 100 kW primary and a 50 kW secondary generator. These units provided power to essential loads such as commercial coolers, freezers, HVAC, lighting, and point-of-sale systems. While reliable in principle, the diesel solution posed challenges: high fuel costs, regular maintenance requirements, and occasional load management limitations during peak usage.
In pursuit of sustainability, energy independence, and lower operating costs, the owners of Springville Foods partnered with CB Solar and Zonna Energy to transition to a modern hybrid power solution. The result is a clean, quiet, and efficient off-grid system powered primarily by solar and batteries, with diesel used only as a secondary backup.
Project Overview
CB Solar, Zonna, and Discover work on live commissioning of the AES 210HV cabinets and Sol-Ark 60K-3P inverters. Final performance checks on communication and closed-loop performance ensure a smooth transition to energy independence.
Discover’s AES 210HV high-voltage battery storage platform is the backbone of the new system. Two pre-assembled outdoor cabinets were installed, providing a total of 418 kWh of usable energy storage. These cabinets integrate seamlessly with two Sol-Ark 60K-3P commercial hybrid inverters, which deliver a combined 120 kW of continuous power output. A 75 kW photovoltaic array supplies renewable energy directly to the inverters and batteries.
The AES 210HV includes advanced thermal management via integrated liquid cooling and heating, built-in fire safety, thermal suppression (aerosol-based), and deflagration ventilation to meet UL9540 safety standards. Communication between the batteries and inverters is managed through the LYNK II Gateway, enabling real-time closed-loop control for optimized charging and discharging.
Key technical features of the system include:
- Storage Capacity: 418 kWh usable (two AES 210HV cabinets)
- Inverter Power: 120 kW continuous (two Sol-Ark 60K-3P inverters)
- Solar Capacity: 75 kW
- Grid Independence: Full off-grid operation with diesel generators now used only as backup
- Load Profile: Commercial refrigeration, HVAC, lighting, registers, and office equipment
Operational Benefits and Lessons for Off-Grid Designers
Two AES 210HV cabinets provide 418 kWh of high-voltage, liquid-cooled lithium storage. Prewired Sol-Ark inverters are wall-mounted next to the store's electrical room, allowing direct AC and DC integration.
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Today, Springville Foods operates primarily on solar energy and battery power, with diesel backup used sparingly during extended cloudy periods or high-load events. The transition has delivered immediate benefits:
- Fuel savings: Dramatic reduction in diesel consumption and generator runtime
- Maintenance reduction: Fewer mechanical hours and service events for generator upkeep
- Quiet operation: A quieter, cleaner environment for staff and customers
- Load flexibility: Smoother delivery of power to compressors and HVAC systems, especially during peak load transitions
- Future scalability: The system architecture leaves room for adding more PV and storage
This use case highlights how modern hybrid battery solutions can replace legacy diesel generators in rural commercial settings where grid access is undesired, limited, or unreliable. Grocery stores are among the most demanding off-grid applications due to their continuous refrigeration loads and sensitivity to power outages. The combination of Discover’s storage, commercial hybrid inverters, and intelligent communication enables businesses like Springville Foods to operate independently without sacrificing reliability or customer service.
Key Takeaways for Future Projects
- Utility-grade performance at commercial scale: This project showcases how Discover Energy Systems is bridging the gap between industrial BESS solutions and commercial installer needs. By delivering utility-grade reliability, safety, and performance in a cost-effective, scalable package, Discover empowers C&I projects that were previously out of reach due to complexity or cost.
- Simple integration with hybrid inverters: Discover’s AES 210HV platform is purpose-built for compatibility with commercial hybrid inverters like the Sol-Ark 60K. Its plug-and-play DC and communication interfaces significantly reduce installation time, eliminate guesswork, and lower the barrier to entry for commercial solar installers entering energy storage.
- Standards-driven safety and resilience: UL 9540 Listed & UL 9540A Large Scale Fire Tested architecture, integrated aerosol fire suppression, passive deflagration venting, and a liquid thermal management system ensure that even demanding off-grid loads can be handled safely and dependably.
- System design matters: Pairing 418 kWh of usable storage with 120 kW of inverter capacity provided ample headroom for cold storage, air conditioning, and peak-hour loads. The system design ensures reduced generator runtime and flexible growth paths for future loads or PV expansion.
- Collaboration is critical: The success of this deployment is a testament to the alignment between technology providers, local installers, and technical distributors. CB Solar’s field execution, Zonna Energy’s system design expertise, and Discover’s product integration support combined to deliver a solution that exceeded customer expectations.
Installer and Partner Contributions
CB Solar of Gordonville, PA, played a central role in the success of this installation. With deep experience serving agricultural and commercial clients in Pennsylvania, the CB Solar team delivered a turnkey off-grid system that was expertly installed and commissioned to meet the unique needs of Springville Foods. Their familiarity with both rural power infrastructure and high-voltage storage integration allowed them to anticipate and mitigate challenges related to refrigeration loads and seasonal solar variability.
Equally vital was the contribution of Zonna Energy. As a specialized off-grid distributor with a long history of supporting battery-based projects across North America, Zonna provided detailed system design guidance and technical support throughout the planning and commissioning process. Their recommendation of the Discover AES 210HV platform was based not only on cost and performance but also on safety features, inverter compatibility, and long-term serviceability. Zonna’s ability to provide both logistics and hands-on guidance proved instrumental in ensuring this project met its ambitious energy goals without compromising reliability.
Interested in a Similar Solution?
Discover Energy Systems, CB Solar, and Zonna Energy are available to support off-grid and grid-independent projects across North America. If you are a business, farm, or institution exploring energy storage to eliminate or reduce diesel reliance, this project is a strong reference point for what’s possible today. Get in touch with us.
OVERVIEW
AES RACKMOUNT 48-48-5120-H
Electricity is essential for operating an oil platform. It powers equipment for drilling and production, monitoring well performance, collecting data for analysis, environmental monitoring, and for ensuring safety measures are in place. Additionally, electricity is necessary for the living quarters and food services.
APPLICATION: Backup power when the generator is in service.
REQUIREMENT: Power for 7 days.
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On an oil platform, a gas-powered generator typically provides the electricity. However, there are times when the generator is unavailable due to servicing or maintenance. This is when this solar/wind-powered battery energy storage system becomes crucial.
Ameresco developed a power skid, which was transported and installed on an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America). The power skid is equipped with three 400 W solar panels and two 400 W wind turbines, which generate the power stored in 36 AES RACKMOUNT batteries and housed within six Slimline Enclosures, providing a total energy capacity of 184 kWh. A Sol-Ark 15K-2P-N hybrid inverter makes the stored energy available whenever the oil platform requires it.
OVERVIEW
AES RACKMOUNT 48-48-5120-H
Done Right Electrical (DRE) is a solar installer, operating out of Kingman, Arizona, focusing on quality installations with first-rate solar components and electrical gear.
APPLICATION: Off-grid like living while still connected to the grid.
REQUIREMENT: Minimize dependence on grid power with a solar energy system that can power the home, even during a power outage.
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This installation in Wickenburg, Arizona, is a zero export, self-consumption, optimized grid-tied system. The homeowner intends to produce as much electrical energy as possible to mimic off-grid living, and to maximize storage of the harvested electricity to provide backup power in case of a power outage.
The installed system includes a 48-panel, 19.2 kW ground mount array, a Sol-Ark 15K-2P Hybrid Inverter, and 8 AES RACKMOUNT batteries that can store up to 40 kWh of energy. This system supplies nearly all of the home’s electrical needs, which includes, in addition to the usual home appliances, two wall-mount air conditioners and a deep-well pump. Grid power is used only in the early morning hours to maintain at least 40% SOC in the batteries for enough reserve to power the home in the event of an outage, a common occurrence in the area.
OVERVIEW
AES RACKMOUNT 48-48-5120
APPLICATION: Grid-tie with battery and solar, with generator backup.
REQUIREMENT: Good, clean, uninterruptible power.
INSTALLER: Solar Freedom.
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Solar Freedom, experienced installers operating in the Bahamas, knew exactly what the owners of the “Goodness and Mercy” residential vacation home wanted in a power system when they were finally fed up with the utility's sporadic and dirty power. Intermittent shutdowns, grid instability, and extreme weather, such as hurricanes, that cause long-term power disruptions, are common in the Bahamas. All the owners wanted was clean, reliable power in a location where that is a struggle.
The resulting solar and battery power system consists of 16.8 kW of solar panels, integrated with 3 Outback Radian 8048A inverters and 12 AES RACKMOUNT battery modules for 60 kWh of energy. A 30 kW diesel generator is used as a backup when solar and battery are unavailable.
Now all the lights and appliances in the home work properly, and a connection to the grid isn’t even required anymore.
OVERVIEW
AES RACKMOUNT 48-48-5120
In August of 2023, devastating fires swept across the island of Maui. The town of Lahaina was particularly hard hit, losing all its buildings and most of its famous Banyan Tree. The photos below illustrate the town before and after the wildfires. Life will never be the same.
One of the first facilities to be replaced as part of the rebuilding effort was the Port Harbor Fuel Station.
A stack of six Discover Energy Systems’ AES RACKMOUNT (48-48-5120) battery modules, housed in the AES RACKMOUNT Slimline Enclosure (950-0053), along with a Sol-Ark 15K-2P-N hybrid inverter, powers the harbor fuel pumps. This setup saves boats one hour to the next fueling station and back. A Cummins generator charges the batteries. The fuel station stands out as an anomaly, as everything around it remains burned to the ground.
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