Solar Photovoltaic

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The Department of the Navy has installed photovoltaic arrays in several locations producing a total of more than four megawatts of electricity. This includes arrays integrated into rooftops, mounted on carports, and on the ground, plus photovoltaic street and parking lot lights. Locations include:

  • MCAGCC Twentynine Palms:  1.1 MW ground-mounted system.
  • Naval Base Coronado:  806 kW carport and 51.1 kW Building Integrated PV.
  • NAVFAC Pearl Harbor:  309 kW roof of a WWII aircraft hangar.
  • MCRD San Diego:  225 kW rooftop system.
  • Naval Base Ventura County:  87 kW rooftop thin-film photovoltaic laminate system.

The Department is currently installing approximately 20 megawatts of additional photovoltaic generation using American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding.

The Naval Energy Strategy will require a steep increase in the use of renewable energy at shore facilities. To help meet the goals, the Department established renewable program offices to award Power Purchase Agreements, Energy Joint Ventures (public/private), and Enhanced Use Lease contracts that will use private sector funds to construct renewable plants on DoN land. The renewable tax credits for developers go a long way toward improving the cost/benefit of renewable technology.

A $200 million multiple award construction contract was awarded in February 2010 to construct up to 40 megawatts of solar photovoltaic power plants at Navy and Marine Corps installations throughout the Southwestern U.S. Five solar development teams were awarded contracts to provide power to the Navy through construction of photovoltaic power plants on military land. The developers will construct, own, operate and maintain the systems, and sell the power to the Navy through power purchase agreements of up to 30 years. Initial projects are targeted for Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms and Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow. This contract will increase the DoN’s energy security, and benefit the environment through clean energy generation.