Nissan Leafs Power Resilience at redwood Coast airport in California
Redwood Coast Airport in Humboldt County, California, is now utilizing two Nissan Leaf electric vehicles as part of a microgrid designed to maintain operations during power outages. The innovative setup, integrated in early 2024, demonstrates the potential of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology to enhance energy resilience for critical infrastructure.
The redwood Coast Airport microgrid, established in 2021, already featured a 2.2 MW solar array, 8.9 MWh of battery storage, and a 300 KW net-metered solar system capable of both feeding excess power back to the PG&E grid and drawing power when needed. The addition of the two Nissan Leafs – a 2020 model provided by Nissan and a 2021 model purchased by the Humboldt County Aviation Division – expands the microgrid’s capabilities by adding mobile energy storage and bidirectional charging functionality.
The second-generation Nissan Leaf was originally designed with V2G capability, but this is the first known implementation of that feature in a North American airport setting. The Leafs can now contribute power to the microgrid during peak demand or, crucially, during grid outages, helping to keep the airport operational. This growth comes as V2G technology gains traction, with pilot programs also underway utilizing electric school buses and Ford F-150s.While Nissan has recently released an updated Leaf model, the successful integration of the previous generation at Redwood Coast Airport highlights the lasting value and potential of existing EV technology in building a more resilient energy future.
