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    1. Distributed Energy

    Navy, California Energy Commission collaborate on Microgrid, Clean Energy projects

    Dec. 6, 2021
    The CEC grant programs, like the Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC), provided $50 million in funding to projects that support the Department of Defense military bases in California
    Marine Corp base Miramar microgrid photo courtesy U.S. DOE
    Marines Shut Off Power Run Base With Renewable Energy 61ae417e875a9

    The U.S. Department of the Navy (DON) and the California Energy Commission (CEC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on energy and water-related projects to improve the reliability, efficiency and resilience of Navy installations in California.

    CEC Chair David Hochschild elaborated that the installation efforts will address energy resilience issues, fossil fuel and GHG reductions, climate initiatives, water consumption and alternative-fuel vehicles. The agreement renews the cooperation between the DON and the CEC for five more years.

     Hochschild added, “The partnership between the California Energy Commission, the Navy and the Marines will help us advance a clean energy future by increasing energy efficiency measures and expanding renewable energy resources on bases and installations.”

     Some of the projects the CEC and DON have worked on include the installation of microgrids, battery storage and renewable energy at critical DON facilities to improve electric grid stability. The CEC grant programs, like the Electric Program Investmentl Charge (EPIC), provided $50 million in funding to projects that support the Department of Defense military bases in California.

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    “The Navy and Marine Corps need reliable power ashore to ensure we are able to train, man, equip, then deploy and employ our personnel. By signing this MOU with the State of California we can work hand-in-hand to be good stewards of the environment and improve the resiliency, reliability and efficiency of our DON installations throughout the state,” explained Meredith Berger, performing the duties of the Under Secretary of the Navy & Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations and Environment.

    Earlier, Berger discussed MCAS Miramar’s microgrid (pictured), battery storage, EV infrastructure expansion and energy resilient projects with the U.S. Marine Corps and CEC energy representatives. 

    The microgrid installation at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego was completed in March 2021. Since its installation, the microgrid has produced over $90 million in energy savings, according to reports.

    About the Author

    EnergyTech Staff

    Rod Walton is senior editor for EnergyTech.com. He has spent 14 years covering the energy industry as a newspaper and trade journalist.

    Walton formerly was energy writer and business editor at the Tulsa World. Later, he spent six years covering the electricity power sector for Pennwell and Clarion Events. He joined Endeavor and EnergyTech in November 2021.

    He can be reached at [email protected]. 

    EnergyTech is focused on the mission critical and large-scale energy users and their sustainability and resiliency goals. These include the commercial and industrial sectors, as well as the military, universities, data centers and microgrids.

    Many large-scale energy users such as Fortune 500 companies, and mission-critical users such as military bases, universities, healthcare facilities, public safety and data centers, shifting their energy priorities to reach net-zero carbon goals within the coming decades. These include plans for renewable energy power purchase agreements, but also on-site resiliency projects such as microgrids, combined heat and power, rooftop solar, energy storage, digitalization and building efficiency upgrades.