The solar-friendly State of California
has positioned itself in opposition to Trump Administration policies on
energy and climate change, and it looks like the Air Force is in
California’s corner. Last week the sprawling Los Angeles Air Force Base —
home of the Space and Missile Systems Center — entered into an $11
million energy modernization project with Honeywell that includes
rooftop solar arrays on four buildings.
Under the Obama Administration, Los Angeles AFB was an early adopter of renewables, electric vehicles, vehicle-to-grid systems and other low carbon technology.
Apparently the Air Force has no intention of slowing down now that a
fossil fuel fan has taken up residence in the White House.
Money-Saving Solar Power For Los Angeles Air Force Base
The new $11 million energy project is a soup-to-nuts makeover that will pay for itself within a reasonable amount of time.
It’s a first-of-its-kind project for the
US Air Force Civil Engineer Center, which awarded the contract. The
Department of Defense pays no money up front for the improvement. All of
the costs are covered by energy savings, and then some.
In a press release, Honeywell teased out
a statement from Los Angeles Air Force Base that gently reminds the
taxpaying public of the benefits of low carbon energy:
As a critical
location for the U.S. Air Force, we strive to ensure the services we
provide meet the highest standards of excellence, and the same should be
said of our building infrastructure…This project is a way for us to
keep base facilities operating optimally and in the most environmentally
and budget-sound way possible.
According to Honeywell, the project will
shave about 17% off the facility’s energy use. The savings will average
about $800,000 per year for the life of the contract. That’s a 23-year
contract so group hug for all of us taxpayers.
The rooftop solar panels — 3,400 of them
spread out over four buildings — will account for about 10% of Los
Angeles AFB’s energy use.
The project also includes lighting, AC, and irrigation upgrades.
Meanwhile, Over In New Jersey…
Air Force renewable energy projects that began under the Obama Administration are also continuing to play out under the Trump Administration.
Last December, New Jersey’s Joint Base
McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst broke ground on a new solar array. Clocking in at
50,000 solar panels and 16.5 megawatts, when completed it will be the
largest US military solar farm in the Northeast.
In a press release announcing the new
project, the Air Force voiced some thoughts on the importance of solar
power for national defense:
This is a great
example of a cleaner, more resilient project, and we’re going to be
doing more of them…This project demonstrates the innovative pathways our
Airmen and civilians are taking to strengthen mission assurance through
energy assurance.
Did you catch that thing about “more of them?”
Like Los Angeles AFB, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst also emphasized the benefits to taxpayers:
Solar power is
one of the most efficient and affordable energy alternatives
today…Whether you’re interested in solar power because of its economic
or environment impact, during these times of budgetary constraints on
the federal side and the state side, I think we can all agree this joint
solar project could not happen at a greater time.
…And Then There’s Utah…
The Air Force is also going full speed ahead with construction of a new Innovation Center on the grounds of Hill Air Force Base in Utah.
The Innovation will come under the umbrella of the Utah Science Technology and Research (USTAR) initiative, with the aim of leveraging Air Force support for technology startups.
Hill AFB is already a job-creating
machine for Utah and the new facility is expected to generate even more
by forging a “Silicon Hill” identity for growing tech employment in the
northern area of the state.
USTAR launched about 10 years ago, when
state policymakers charted a new science-based path for economic
development, leveraging its academic research assets:
source: https://cleantechnica.com
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