PENTAGON, Washington DC (Nov. 22, 2013) - The Defense Logistics Agency Energy, working with the Army Energy Initiatives Task Force (EITF), issued a Notice of Intent to Award letter to Ameresco Inc., for an 18.6 megawatt solar photovoltaic (PV) facility at Fort Detrick, Maryland today.
The Notice of Intent to Award does not constitute a formal contract award, although it is considered a major milestone that brings the Fort Detrick project closer to contract award and groundbreaking. Before contract award, the Army and Ameresco must accomplish additional actions.
"This is a major milestone for the EITF," said John Lushetsky, EITF Executive Director. "It brings us one step closer to having shovels in the ground at Fort Detrick and one step closer to reaching Army renewable energy goals."
All electricity from the solar photovoltaic (PV) facility will be purchased at a cost equal to or less than current power costs and consumed by Fort Detrick. The solar PV system will also be designed as "micro-grid ready" so that it may be connected to a future micro-grid and thereby contribute to the overall energy security of the installation.
The Fort Detrick project is just one example of how the EITF is strengthening the Army's energy security and sustainability by developing and executing cost-effective, large-scale renewable energy projects leveraging private sector financing.
The original RFP, which closed on April 24, 2013, solicited electric power to the Army through a long-term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) from an approximately 15 megawatt PV facility located on the installation.
Under the PPA, the Army will only purchase the energy that is produced; no generation assets will be acquired. The selected contractor will finance, design, build, operate, own and maintain the production facilities. The solar PV devices installed at Fort Detrick will comply with the Buy American Act.
The EITF serves as the central management office for partnering with Army installations to implement cost-effective, large-scale renewable energy projects, leveraging private sector financing.
The EITF focuses on renewable and alternative energy projects that are 10 megawatts or greater and located on Army installations in the United States. Since its establishment in 2011, the EITF is helping the Army meet its renewable energy goal of deploying one gigawatt of renewable energy by 2025.
Related Documents:
Fort Detrick EITF Fact Sheet [PDF]
Related Links:
Assistant Secretary of the Army (Installations, Energy and Environment)
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