Reliable, Clean, Power On Demand.
California Power Solutions
California Self-Generation | The Grid Has Limits. Your Operation Shouldn’t
Break Free from California’s Power Grid. Generate Your Own.
Behind-the-meter power lets California’s largest energy users take control — cutting costs, eliminating outage risk, and producing cleaner power than the grid can deliver.
Why California Facilities Need Self-Generation
Highest Rates in the Nation
California’s time-of-use pricing, demand charges, and peak events make energy costs unpredictable for any large facility.
Wildfires & PSPS Outages
Public Safety Power Shutoffs are now a regular feature of California operations. One unplanned outage can cost a manufacturer hundreds of thousands.
Load Growth + Electrification
State mandates are pushing new electrical loads onto a grid that’s already at capacity — making interconnection waits stretch to years.
What Is Behind-The-Meter Power?
Your Own Grid. On Your Property.
Behind-the-meter (BTM) generation means producing electricity on-site — at or adjacent to your facility — rather than purchasing it entirely from the utility grid. Unlike grid dependence, BTM systems give your organization direct control over its energy production, cost structure, and operational resilience. When paired with combined heat and power (CHP), the same system captures waste heat for process heating, cooling, and steam — pushing overall system efficiency to 70–80%. In California’s high-cost, high-risk energy environment, BTM has moved from a niche strategy to a mainstream competitive advantage.
BTM System Components
- Natural Gas Turbine Generators (CHP-ready)
- Combined Heat and Power (cogeneration) systems
- FlexGrid™ Microgrid Distribution Networks
“On-site power generation from FlexEnergy turbines significantly reduces reliance on the utility grid, saving the studio an estimated $20,000 every day while supporting reliable operations.”— Studio Energy Executive
Why California Is Different
A Unique Combination of Pressures
No other state combines high electricity costs, aggressive decarbonization mandates, wildfire-driven outages, and surging electrification load growth the same way California does.
High & Volatile Energy Costs
California ranks among the highest electricity prices in the U.S. TOU pricing and demand charges make costs unpredictable — and punishing for energy-intensive operations.
Grid Reliability Gaps
Electricity and gas prices are unpredictable. Facilities with no on-site generation absorb every rate spike with no hedge.
Electrification Load Growth
Operations tied entirely to the grid are vulnerable to outages and capacity constraints during peak demand.
Emissions & Permit Pressure
CARB and local air districts impose strict emissions standards. Paradoxically, self-generation with a Flex Turbine® produces roughly half the NOx emissions of the California grid.
Interconnection Backlogs
New utility service or capacity upgrades can take 18–24 months or more in California. BTM generation bypasses interconnection queues entirely.
Expansion Constraints
Growing facilities waiting on utility upgrades lose competitive ground. BTM power scales on your timeline, not the utility’s.
Case Studies
What Self-Generation Looks Like in Practice
Case Study · Entertainment / Commercial
Hollywood Studio Saves $20,000 a Month in Energy Costs
One of Hollywood’s original film studios was running a 24/7 production operation across a sprawling Los Angeles campus — with energy bills to match. California’s peak-demand pricing was making grid power the production’s most unpredictable cost. The studio needed reliable on-site power that could support continuous production schedules without interruption or surprise charges.
$20Kper month in energy cost savings
- Eliminated exposure to CA peak-demand charges and TOU pricing spikes
- Over 1 MW of self-generated electricity supporting production facilities and studio infrastructure
- Greater energy independence — reduced reliance on SCE grid supply
- Improved operational resilience: critical production schedules no longer at risk from grid outages
- CHP waste-heat recovery supporting HVAC and absorption chiller load
- CARB-certified system meets California air quality requirements
Case Study · Entertainment / Commercial
Applied Medical Resources Goes Behind-The-Meter for Precision Manufacturing
Applied Medical Resources manufactures precision medical devices in Orange County — a process where power quality is as critical as power availability. Even brief voltage fluctuations can damage sensitive equipment or disrupt sterile manufacturing environments. With California’s grid becoming less predictable, AMR turned to FlexEnergy Solutions for on-site generation that matched the precision of their manufacturing process.
ZeroProduction Interruptions Since BTM Installation
- Stable voltage and frequency for sensitive precision manufacturing equipment
- Dramatically reduced downtime risk — protecting processes where one hour of interruption costs $260K+
- On-site CHP captures waste heat to support process thermal loads
- Lower operating costs vs. utility grid, with predictable energy pricing
- CARB-certified, sub-10ppm NOx — meeting strict California air district requirements
- Faster timeline to operational power vs. waiting for utility interconnection
Why Self-Generation Now?
Four Strategic Advantages Self-Generation
Gives You In California
01 — Cost ControlPredictable Energy, Predictable Business
On-site generation hedges against volatile utility pricing. Eliminate demand charges, TOU penalties, and peak-event exposure. For large energy users, this can translate to millions in savings over the long term.
02 — ResilienceKeep Running When the Grid Goes Down
Self-generation ensures critical operations continue even when the utility doesn’t. Paired with microgrid controls and storage, BTM systems can seamlessly island from the grid during outages.
03 — Efficiency70–80% System Efficiency with CHP
Combined heat and power captures waste heat for process heating, cooling, and steam — dramatically outperforming a traditional grid plus boiler approach. Less fuel in. More value out.
04 — SustainabilityCleaner Than the Grid You’re Leaving
The Flex Turbine® produces roughly half the NOx emissions of the CAMX California grid. For organizations with ESG goals, CARB permitting constraints, or decarbonization plans, BTM delivers compliance and competitive advantage simultaneously.
The California BTM Solution: FlexEnergy Solutions
Built for California’s Toughest Requirements
FlexEnergy’s Flex Turbine® is a natural gas turbine generator engineered specifically for commercial and industrial self-generation and CHP applications. It’s CARB-certified, SGIP-eligible, and designed for continuous 24/7 operation in demanding environments. As the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), FlexEnergy provides direct factory support — no middleman, no third-party service delays. With regionally deployed technicians and remote monitoring capability, our systems deliver the industry-leading uptime California operators depend on.
| Model | Output | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| GT333S | ~333 kW | Small industrial sites, commercial buildings, hospitals, distributed R&D campus loads |
| GT2000S | ~2 MW | Larger industrial operations, district energy, manufacturing campuses needing multi-MW CHP |
Emissions leadership: According to the most recent eGRID data, the CAMX grid serving California emits 0.392 lbs of NOx per MWh — nearly double the 0.210 lbs per MWh produced by the Flex Turbine®. Self-generation is often the lower-emissions choice in California.
Key Performance Facts
- 99%+ mechanical availability across 4M+ runtime hours
- Only one 8-hour scheduled maintenance interval annually
- ≤10 ppm NOx and CO — meets California’s strictest local air districts
- Fuel-flexible: natural gas, biogas, RNG, wellhead gas
- Deployable in days to weeks — not the years required for new utility service
- Leasing options available to reduce upfront capital
Who We Serve
Built for California’s Most
Energy-Intensive Operations
Entertainment & Studios
Production facilities and studio campuses with continuous power needs and no tolerance for downtime during active shoots or post-production.
Precision Manufacturing
Medical devices, semiconductors, aerospace components, and pharma — where power quality and continuity directly determine product quality.
Industrial Operations
Refineries, processing plants, and heavy industry requiring both electricity and thermal energy — ideal candidates for CHP and hybrid systems.
Commercial Real Estate
Office campuses and mixed-use developments lowering operating expenses, improving tenant satisfaction, and strengthening ESG performance.
Healthcare & Life Sciences
Hospitals and research facilities where uninterrupted, clean power is not a preference but a compliance and patient-safety requirement.
Data Centers
High-density compute facilities with power needs too large and too urgent for California’s interconnection queue — and too critical for grid-only supply.
Ready to Stop Paying California’s Energy Tax?
Our California energy specialists will assess your facility’s energy profile, model your potential savings, and outline a path to CARB-compliant, SGIP-eligible self-generation.