14  ILLINOIS BUSINESS LEADER
ISLAND POWER
In January 2021, Revolution Global 
planned a 3,600 kW/80,000 sq-ft 
greenhouse expansion in Delavan 
Illinois.  The local utility’s grid power 
would take three years and cost 
$25 million, so Revolution Global 
approached Altorfer Power Systems 
to find alternative facility power 
solutions. 
	
Altorfer developed an optimized 
15kV site power system and 
successfully procured the primary 
electrical equipment including 
six transformers, facilitating 
installation in alignment with the 
project’s 15-month startup schedule 
beginning March 2022, at a total cost 
of $8.5 million.
	
The microgrid includes (4) 1,475 
kW fully autonomous packaged 
power systems interconnected to 
the Delavan facility via a collector 
bus as shown in Figure 1. Three (3) 
power systems are sufficient to meet 
the facility peak demand with one 
(1) spare unit for maintenance and 
reliability (n+1), shown in Figure 2. 
This also included a 2,000 kW diesel 
for emergency backup power and 
the Beacon Power 320 kW flywheel 
system.  The flywheel system is 
needed to correct facility load swings 
and power quality issues.
	
The proposed Microgrid would 
provide for:
•	Islanding or power for the 
facilities served
AMAZING MEMBER
•	Resilient power supply
•	Back-up power via extra engine
•	Auto black start capability
•	Microgrid controller to manage 
site demand, minimize system 
downtime, auto black start, and 
automatically optimize generator 
dispatch to minimize operating 
costs in real-time and to provide 
intelligent monitoring.
POWER SYSTEM 
IMPROVEMENTS
In 2024 Caterpillar launched a 
suite of new containerized power 
systems to significantly reduce power 
system costs, reduce lead times and 
footprint, lower emissions, provide 
fast start, and improve reliability. 
Facilities can now secure islanding 
power equipment within six months 
at significantly lower cost leveraging 
the Cat DG Compact. See Figure 3.
GRID CONNECT
When the local utility completes 
system upgrades needed to supply 
the required 3.600 kW peak facility 
demand, the site power system can 
be repurposed for Dispatchable 
Standby Power.  In this mode, the site 
power system, operating in parallel 
with grid power, is utilized to reduce 
grid power costs by 50%.  This is 
accomplished by dispatching the site 
Developing Alternative Power 
John Kelly
Altorfer Power Systems

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