The US Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Pacific has given a contract to Pacific Energy Solutions LLC for a procurement of energy generated from multiple renewable-energy projects.
Pacific Energy Solutions will design, build, own, operate and maintain the PV arrays, which will provide energy to both Navy and Marine Corps bases in Oahu, Hawaii. The total amount of energy generated from the arrays is expected to be around 17MW.
Ray Mabus, Secretary of the Navy, said: “This is a large project with 10 roof top photovoltaic systems and four ground-based or elevated systems, built on three different bases. In the first year alone we expect that these systems will save the taxpayers US$1.6 million. That's the equivalent of the electricity that can be generated from 54,000 barrels of oil here in Hawaii. It's the amount of electricity needed to power more than 5,000 average homes here. And that's just in the first year. This program will be generating those savings for decades. The work we are doing here will serve as a model for other projects around the world.”
The projects include three rooftop and one ground-mounted plant on Waipio Peninsula at Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam (JBPHH); six rooftop and two elevated PV systems at Marine Corps Base Hawaii; and one rooftop and one elevated PV facility at Camp Smith, Aiea.
NAVFAC Pacific Commander Rear Adm. Bret Muilenburg said: “This project signals the Navy's largest photovoltaic array in the Pacific, and a significant step toward achieving our renewable energy goals. Renewable energy initiatives are paramount to enabling the Navy and Marine Corps to improve energy security and efficiency ashore, and operational reach afloat. In addition, we are very proud to be partnering with Pacific Energy Solutions as we work to execute this substantial investment.”
The plants are expected to be completed in about a year. Once the systems are built, they will generate power for 25 years.