Case Study: UC San Diego achieves 92% on-site energy and smart microgrid optimization with OSIsoft PI System

UC San Diego - Customer Case Study

The University of California San Diego, a 1,200‑acre research campus with high energy density and diverse on‑site generation, set out to build a state‑of‑the‑art, energy‑independent microgrid. The challenge was to integrate and optimize a complex mix of assets — a 30 MW cogeneration plant, a 2.8 MW biogas fuel cell, multiple solar arrays, building controls, meters and emerging EV charging — while managing huge volumes of heterogeneous, high‑frequency data to reduce costs, carbon and reliance on the grid.

UCSD implemented the OSIsoft PI System to collect, translate and synchronize real‑time data from hundreds of sensors and interfaces, feeding analytics and control platforms and making performance visible via PI Coresight. The result: the campus now produces about 92% of its own energy (up from 88% after adding the fuel cell), the cogeneration plant saves roughly $8M a year in grid purchases, and the scalable data infrastructure enables ongoing optimization, storage integration, smarter charging and public research collaboration.

UC San Diego

Byron Washom

UC San Diego