Federal Agencies Leading by Example

Edwards Air Force Base, California

Overview:

Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) is adding significant carbon pollution-free electricity to the grid by constructing one of the largest solar photovoltaic (PV) array projects in the country. In the process, it is also creating clean energy jobs, including more than 1,000 union and other construction jobs.

Who:

• Department of Defense's (DOD) Edwards Air Force Base (host agency)
• Terra-Gen Development Company, LLC (developer)

What:

• 520 megawatts of solar PV to grid
• 3 gigawatt-hours of battery energy storage.
• Largest PV-battery storage project in North America

Other:

• Resilience: Building will feature above-grade back-up generators and an above-grade data center
• Partnerships: To ensure compliance with regulatory procedures, the Air Force collaborated with the state, local and tribal authorities

Status:

• Will be completed by 2022

Impacts:

• Powers up to 238,000 nearby homes
• Yields up to $80 million for future DOD resilient energy projects
• Creates 1,000 union and non-craft construction labor jobs
• Preventing greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 800,000 metric tons annually

Fort Polk, Louisiana

Overview:

Fort Polk's sustainability program yields $4 million in savings every year thanks to innovative Solider-led problem-solving and senior leadership support.

Who:

• Department of Defense's (DOD) U.S. Army Garrison Fort Polk

What:

• Replaced outdated chillers and boilers, overhauled building automation controls and lighting
• Reusing treated wastewater for plant operational processes
• Reclaimed 270 gallons of solvent and 4,600 gallons of antifreeze for reuse in 2019-2020

Other:

• Workforce Development: Fort's annual sustainability and climate training and outreach efforts reach over 24,000 Soldiers, family members, school children, and civilian employees

Status:

• On-going since 2020

Impacts:

• Save $4 million annually through reduced utility bills and waste disposal fees
• Conserving millions of gallons of potable drinking water annually

Washington, DC

Overview:

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is educating all levels of its workforce on the impacts of climate change on its missions and programs so that staff are better positioned to successfully integrate adaptation and resilience strategies into future planning and implementation efforts while strengthening the resilience of USACE-built infrastructure.

Who:

• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

What:

• Updating existing training materials to include the impacts of climate change on the organization's mission and likely future impacts
• Developing new training content that supports the mainstreaming of climate change adaptation and resilience principles

Status:

• On-going since 2021

Impacts:

• Better protect Americans who are affected first and worst by climate change
• Better positioned to minimize future disruptions and destruction to programs, assets, and operations

Gulfport, Mississippi

Overview:

The Naval Construction Battalion Center recently boosted its energy security with the construction of a 3.5-megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic (PV) array and microgrid. The microgrid is configured with 1 MW of battery energy storage and 5 state-of-the-art Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Tier 4 diesel back-up power generators. In case of an outage, the microgrid and solar arrays can provide emergency backup power to 36 mission critical facilities on the installation.

Who:

• Department of Defense's (DOD) Naval Construction Battalion Center (host agency)
• Southern Company/Mississippi Power (electric utility)
• Power Secure (microgrid developer)
• WGL Energy (developer)

What:

• 4 MW total of solar PV power to the local power grid
• Microgrid system features solar PV and battery storage

Status:

• The microgrid was completed in August 2021.

Impacts:

• PV can power up more than 400 nearby homes per year
• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than 3,000 metric tons annually

Kauai, Hawaii

Overview:

The Pacific Missile Range Facility is diversifying and decarbonizing its own and the island of Kauai's power grid by constructing 19 megawatts of photovoltaic (PV) arrays with 70 megawatt-hours of battery energy storage. In the process, it is also increasing its energy resilience and reliability.

Who:

• Department of Defense's (DOD) Pacific Missile Range Facility (host agency)
• Kauai Island Utility Cooperative (local electric utility)

What:

• 19 megawatts of solar PV to grid with 70 megawatt-hours of battery energy storage

Status:

• Completed September 2021

Impacts:

• Reduces the need to import 2.8 million gallons of costly diesel annually
• Cuts greenhouse gas emissions by 6,000 metric tons annually

New London, Connecticut

Overview:

The historic U.S. Coast Guard Academy is leveraging a 20-year $72.6 million utility energy service contract (UESC) to cut its electricity demand by 80%. UESCs allow Federal agencies to procure energy savings facility improvements with no up-front capital costs or special appropriations from Congress. An UESC is a partnership between an agency and a utility company.

Who:

• Department of Homeland Security New London U.S. Coast Guard Academy (host agency)
• Eversource and Ameresco (utility and subcontractor, respectively)

What:

• UESC has so far delivered nearly $39 million in capital improvements, including more than a dozen energy and water upgrades in 30 campus buildings
• Academy now hosts its first operational rooftop solar photovoltaic array and a new combined heat and power (CHP) plant

Other:

• Workforce Development: CHP plant is observed as part of Cadet's engineering curriculum

Status:

• On-going since September 2018

Impacts:

• Cut the Academy's energy consumption by 40% and water usage by 15%
• Saving $2 million annually in energy and water costs
• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 7,824 metric tons annually

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Overview:

In a first-of-its kind property exchange between the General Services Administration and Massachusetts Institute of Technology – on behalf of the Department of Transportation - an underutilized 14-acre DOT parcel in Cambridge will be redeveloped to feature a new state-of-the-art, low-emissions Federal building on 4 acres of Government-retained land. In addition, pending local approval, MIT will create a mixed-use development featuring affordable residential housing, 3.5 acres of publicly beneficial open space, and a community center on the 10 acres of exchanged land.

Who:

• Department of Transportation's (DOT) John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (host agency)
• General Services Administration (GSA)
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) (developer)

What:

• New John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center collapses 6 separate Federal buildings and surface parking lots into one 400,000-square foot building that will house multiple Federal agencies
• Energy efficiency features include triple-paned glass windows, a high-efficiency heating, ventilation, and cooling system which includes GSA's Green Proving Ground (GPG) condensing gas boilers and a heat recovery chiller, exterior solar shade devices, and green and cool roof technology including a photovoltaic array
• Water efficiency features include a rainwater reclamation and reuse system, a smart irrigation system, and a stormwater management system

Other:

• Carbon Pollution-Free Electricity: Building's rooftop will host solar photovoltaic panels
• Resilience: Building will feature above-grade back-up generators and an above-grade data center
• Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEV): Building will host ZEV charging stations for Federal fleet and employee vehicles

Status:

• Anticipated substantial completion date of March 2023

Impacts:

• Reduction of the Federal footprint from approximately 14 acres to 4 acres, and from 6 buildings to one building—resulting in reduced operating costs, carbon pollution, and energy and water usage
• Creates local union and other skilled trades construction jobs

Golden, Colorado

Overview:

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory provided the world with a model to follow with its groundbreaking net-zero energy Research Support Facility in Golden, Colorado. The building employs various energy-efficiency technologies and carbon pollution-free energy sources to achieve its net-zero energy status.

Who:

• Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Research Support Facility

What:

• 442,900-square foot building with a 2.5-megawatt solar rooftop photovoltaic array and solar thermal technologies
• NREL's smoke- and odor-free renewable fuels heating plant burns woody biomass to produce heat and hot water for the campus
• Energy efficiency features include triple-glazed windows, window controls for thermal load management, radiant heating and cooling, transpired solar collectors, evaporative cooling, energy efficient elevators, an energy-efficient data center

Other:

• Carbon Pollution-Free Electricity: 100% reliance on on-site CFE sources
• Resilience: By using renewable solar energy, the building is positioned to operate more dynamically for demand management operations and future islanding capabilities

Status:

• Completed in 2010

Impacts:

• Serves as the model for other buildings around the world

Brookhaven, New York

Overview:

The Internal Revenue Service Center outside of New York City is replacing failed and or aging critical infrastructure through a 17-year $30.9 million energy savings performance contract (ESPC). ESPCs allow Federal agencies to procure energy savings and facility improvements with no up-front capital costs or special appropriations from Congress. An ESPC is a partnership between an agency and an energy service company (ESCO).

Who:

• Department of Treasury's IRS Service Center
• CEG Solutions LLC (ESCO)

What:

• ESPC has so far delivered nearly $14 million in capital improvements, including two 2 high-efficiency steam boilers, a smaller cooling tower, and more efficient lighting
• Upgraded the Center's Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) system to improve energy efficiency and resiliency through a new UPS system with two battery cabinets

Other:

• Carbon Pollution-Free Electricity: Facility is exploring installing solar photovoltaics panels on rooftop through a second phase of its ESPC
• Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEV): Facility is exploring installing ZEV charging stations through a second phase of its ESPC

Status:

• Majority of major infrastructure improvements will be completed by 2022

Impacts:

• Cut the Center's electricity consumption by 60% and water usage by nearly 25%
• Saving $2.2 million annually in energy and water over the 17-year contract
• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 8,300 tons annually

Boston, Massachusetts

Overview:

The Department of Veterans Affairs New England's Boston Healthcare System is driving toward a zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) fleet with the assistance of the General Services Administration and the utility National Grid's Fleet Advisory Services Program.

Who:

• Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) New England's Boston Healthcare System (host agency)
• General Services Administration (GSA)
• National Grid Fleet Advisory Program (utility)
• ICF (consultant)

What:

• National Grid conducted an electric vehicle and charging infrastructure study, which included a roadmap to transition the VA New England's Boston Healthcare System's 70-car fleet from gasoline to electric
• Consistent with the plan's recommendations, VA will now work with GSA to procure approximately 25 ZEVs in the 2022 acquisition cycle

Other:

• Environmental Justice: VA New England's Boston Healthcare System is exploring infrastructure options at its three fleet garage locations in communities with environmental justice populations

Status:

• On-going since 2020

Impacts:

• VA anticipates reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and improved local air quality resulting in improved health outcomes
• VA anticipates fuel use and cost reductions by converting to ZEVs