The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced new funding for solar projects at federal facilities. Currently, federal agencies are working toward a goal of achieving 30% of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2025.
The $2.85 million in funding also covers one biomass project. Including the cost shared with industry, the DOE says the total investment for the new projects is nearly $75 million.
The agency adds its Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) is leading the way to bring clean energy projects to federal facilities, and the new Assisting Federal Facilities with Energy Conservation Technologies (AFFECT) selections include the following:
U.S. Department of State (Overseas Diplomatic Posts): This 11.9 MW solar PV system bundles together solar projects from 200 kW to 8 MW at 10 different overseas U.S. diplomatic posts into the State Department’s first multi-site energy savings performance contract (ESPC).
U.S. Department of Agriculture (U.S. Forest Service): This 760 kW project will deploy roof-, ground- or carport-mounted solar panels, ranging from 6 kW to 100 kW, at 11 installation sites across Oregon and Washington. The project will provide 100% of the electricity needs for four sites and more than 50% of the electricity needs at the remaining seven locations.
U.S. Department of Justice (Drug Enforcement Administration [DEA] in El Paso, Texas): This 790 kW solar PV installation combines a ground and carport system at the El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC), providing 30% of EPIC’s energy use using the ENABLE ESPC contract, which offers a standardized, streamlined process for small federal facilities to install targeted energy conservation measures in six months or less. The project will be DEA’s first renewable energy system and first ESPC.
U.S. Department of Defense (U.S. Marine Corps Installation Command in Albany, Ga.): This 10 MW biomass steam turbine generator will reduce annual electricity consumption by approximately 4,600 MWh annually.
The DOE notes this award announcement follows on the heels of President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address, during which he discussed how clean energy technologies such as solar are providing real-world solutions.
