speak with Tom Turner, the facility manager at Reworld. (U.S. Army photo by Samantha Tyler) VIEW ORIGINAL
REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. – As the Army moves toward achieving energy efficiency goals, Redstone Arsenal is ahead of the curve, making progress while drawing international attention.
Two Brazilian army engineering officers recently visited the installation and met with U.S. Army Garrison – Redstone Arsenal leaders and Directorate of Public Works experts to learn about what powers the installation and how it aims to be more energy efficient and resilient. In turn, Redstone Arsenal representatives learned more about how Brazil is working to provide efficient energy solutions in remote areas like the Amazon.
“The diversity of our tenants and their different utility needs makes Redstone an interesting installation to visit,” said Don Henderson, Redstone Arsenal’s energy manager. “We try to make sure we fit our customers’ needs while looking to the future.”
The Army as a whole is looking to see how it can be more energy efficient and resilient through the Army Climate Strategy. Some of the goals include installing a microgrid at every Army base by 2035, using an all-electric non-tactical fleet by 2035 and having net zero greenhouse gas emissions for all installations by 2045.
“Although Redstone Arsenal has one of the largest energy footprints in the entire portfolio for the Installation Management Command Sustainment Directorate, Redstone continues to proactively implement efforts that positively impact efficiency, affordability and resiliency for the Army,” said Mark Smith, who specializes in energy/utilities, public works at Installation Management Command Sustainment Directorate.
Smith credits experts like Henderson for this success. As the installation works to achieve the goals outlined in the Army Climate Strategy, Henderson said the installation faces a multifaceted challenge.
“We are trying to reduce our energy consumption to counterbalance costs increasing,” Henderson said. “We’re trying to be greener, cheaper and more efficient while energy needs increase. It’s an interesting challenge.”
To address this challenge, Redstone Arsenal gets its energy from an array of sources. One source unique to the Arsenal is steam, which is provided by the city of Huntsville’s Solid Waste Disposal Authority-operated steam plant. The plant burns up to 690 tons of municipal and commercial solid waste a day, generating steam, which runs through pipes across the installation. This steam is converted to power that heats and cools some of the buildings on the installation. Redstone Arsenal is its only steam customer.
The Solid Waste Disposal Authority is currently constructing a new turbine that will generate electricity using excess steam and further power Redstone Arsenal. Henderson said it is expected to be ready in fiscal year 2025.
In addition to steam, Redstone Arsenal is also using solar energy. The installation is home to a 10-megawatt solar photovoltaic and 1-megawatt energy storage system that was a result of a collaboration between Redstone Arsenal, the Army Office of Energy Initiatives, the Army Corps of Engineers and SunPower. Henderson said the amount of energy produced by this system annually could power 2,500 homes for a full year.
The solar plant saves the Arsenal money through peak shaving, which means the installation taps into its solar supply when it needs the most power, lowering its power consumption from other means and making overall energy consumption cheaper. Looking to the future, Redstone Arsenal is working with the Army Corps of Engineers to design a future microgrid that could provide power to critical facilities independent of the power grid, making the installation more energy resilient through diversity of energy supply.
“They have been great partners to work with,” Henderson said. “Their expertise comes second to none.”
Redstone Arsenal also has partnerships outside of the gates that have helped improve energy use. One partnership is with the Tennessee Valley Authority, that has supplied the installation's power from the very beginning of both entities. Over the years, the Tennessee Valley Authority has provided expertise, including recommendations for how Redstone Arsenal can improve its energy efficiency by using meter and HVAC data.
The partnership with the Tennessee Valley Authority has also funded installation improvements upfront, allowing Redstone Arsenal to pay costs back over time with a fixed interest rate. Often, this arrangement means money saved by energy efficiency goes toward the cost of the project, and once the project is paid off, Redstone Arsenal reaps the full benefit of continued energy savings.
The installation has a similar partnership with Huntsville Utilities. The two entities have an Intergovernmental Support Agreement that allows Huntsville Utilities to operate and maintain the installation’s electric, water and gas systems. Through this work, Huntsville Utilities has provided expertise to allow Redstone Arsenal experts to make better decisions with what products they use and has allowed the installation to make upgrades it otherwise couldn’t. This agreement has also helped experts find redundancies and alleviate them.
While reducing energy consumption and turning to more efficient sources is critical, having enough power to support the variety of important missions on the Arsenal is critical.
“When our tenants need power for a test, it might go on for six months,” Henderson said. “It is our job to make sure the power stays on.”
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