Within a year, Soboba Casino in San Jacinto will be equipped with around 3,000 solar panels adorning its roof, providing power to the luxurious amenities it offers, including slot machines, hotel rooms, and golf course facilities. The Native American community often faces challenges regarding utility services, experiencing higher electricity costs, frequent outages, and a larger number of homes without electricity when compared to non-tribal areas. To combat this issue, the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians, in line with their commitment to self-sufficiency, is joining other tribes in developing microgrids, which utilize renewable energy sources to reduce reliance on the existing power grid.
Microgrids are local energy networks that utilize nearby energy sources, such as solar panels, to power buildings, groups of buildings, or even entire neighborhoods. While they usually remain connected to the main energy grid, they have the ability to operate independently, complete with battery storage and control systems. When implemented effectively, microgrids can lower utility costs, provide reliable backup power, and even enable businesses and communities to operate autonomously from the strained power grid. Hospitals and prisons have long utilized microgrids to ensure uninterrupted power supply.
In recent years, the cost of solar energy has decreased significantly, while traditional electricity costs and funding for renewable energy projects have risen. As a result, there has been a surge in interest in microgrids. Scale Microgrids, Soboba’s partner in this endeavor, is developing a microgrid system for the Santa Margarita Water District in Orange County and is involved in similar projects for a fruit packing facility in Fresno and a food distribution company in Los Angeles. Businesses that require substantial energy throughout the day, such as cold storage companies, are turning to microgrids due to delays in grid connections and the desire to reduce their carbon footprint.
Soboba’s microgrid system, powered by solar energy, is expected to reduce the casino’s carbon emissions by 1,000 pounds annually, equivalent to removing 4,800 gas-powered cars from the road. Additionally, it will alleviate strain on California’s energy grid, benefiting the entire state. This initiative aligns with the tribe’s mission to be responsible stewards of their land. The tribe has faced significant challenges in the past, including a decades-long water rights case, and has worked to improve its relationship with utility providers. However, memories of power outages still drive their quest for self-sufficiency and the ability to determine their own future.
The microgrid system will allow Soboba Casino to operate in “grid-parallel mode,” utilizing solar power during the day and grid energy when it is cost-effective and reliable at night. Excess solar energy will be stored in on-site batteries, which will also serve as backup power during outages. The casino currently relies on diesel generators in emergencies, but the microgrid will provide a cleaner and more sustainable alternative.
Soboba initiated discussions with Scale Microgrids in early 2021, and the Inflation Reduction Act passed by Congress in the summer of the same year provided the necessary funding to proceed with the project. Construction is set to begin in January, with a projected completion and activation date in the following June. The funding agreements also require Soboba Casino to serve as a designated cooling center for nearby communities during periods of high heat. This commitment showcases the tribe’s dedication to assisting and supporting its neighbors.
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