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The Air Force Civil Engineer Center is actively working with all levels of the Air Force to achieve a "Net Zero" posture for installation energy, water and waste.
The Net Zero Policy Memo
A Net Zero Energy posture is defined as reducing energy demand, improving the assured availability of facility/process energy for mission-critical operations, and increasing generation of renewable energy to the greatest extent practicable in order to consume no more energy than is generated.
A Net Zero Water posture is defined as reducing consumption of potable water to an amount no more than can be practicably captured and reused, repurposed, or aquifer-recharged.
A Net Zero Waste posture is defined as reducing the disposal of waste in all its forms (e.g., non-hazardous solid waste, hazardous waste, and medical waste) through the application of the pollution prevention hierarchy to the greatest extent practicable (to include avoiding landfilling and maximizing recycling).
The Air Force Net Zero policy supports and builds upon the sustainability goals and objectives already established in Executive Order 13514, "Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy and Economic Performance," the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the Air Force Energy Plan, the 2011 Air Force Implementation Plan for the DoD Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan, and the Air Force policy memorandum on Pollution Prevention, dated April 27, 2012.
Tiger Team develops draft NetZero Implementation Plan |
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The Air Force, along with the Army and Navy, has a plan to develop over one gigawatt or 1,000 megawatts of renewable energy on Air Force installations by 2016. This ambitious goal will far exceed all the legislated mandates of EPACT 2005 and 10 USC 2911. The Air Force strategy relies on a large use of Enhanced Use Leases at large project capacities (EUL, generally over 50 MW) with a combination of Power Purchase Agreements (PPA, generally under 50 MW). In the current fiscally constrained federal budget and Air Force funding environment, the Air Force must address this goal through the use of third-party financing where a private developer brings third-party funding and enters into a long-term agreement with the Air Force to use property and sell the energy produced mainly to the Air Force but also to the commercial power grid. |
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To learn more about the energy projects please click here. |
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Power Purchase Agreements, or PPAs, are opportunities for the Air Force to partner with private industry by creating projects spanning the range of all renewable technologies. The main component of the agreement is a utility purchase agreement where the Air Force commits to a long term purchase of all or most of the energy generated by a renewable power source. A parcel of non-excess and underutilized land is contributed to the developer for use. This land is leased and a fair market rent must be paid to the Air Force. As a long term and reliable off taker of power, the Air Force provides a committed payment stream for the energy the developer works to produce.
Selecting a Developer
When selecting a developer for a Power Purchase Agreement a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) would be used to determine the best possible project partner for the Air Force to ensure project success. The proposals would include information on past experience and performance, planned technical solution and proposed pricing structure.
What does the Air Force look for when evaluating proposals?
-Performance record to demonstrate developer strength and experience
-Proven defined technology use
-Thorough and strong project management plan
-Return to government with overall price of power under commercial alternate |
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The Air Force has cut facility energy use 30 percent since FY94 but utility rates have increased nearly 100 percent during the same time period. The Air Force spends $1 billion a year on utilities but would be spending $1.5 billion a year if it had not put so much effort into reducing energy use.
AFCEC's Utility Rate Management Team is evaluating trends in utility usage and costs per location. The URMT has identified bases that are significantly higher than the rest and plans to focus on those outliers. The URMT considers many variables such as delivery method, base location - guard bases located at airports may pay higher rates - and wet versus dry climates. The URMT is also researching benchmark averages for utilities.
The URMT also conducts regularly scheduled utility acquisition assessments. AFCEC engineers go to each base every four years and to look at all of its utility contracts, bills and how it processes payments.
In 2013, the focus is on Texas and Florida bases. The URMT also plans to follow up with Colorado bases assessed in 2010 to find out whether its recommendations were implemented. Bases with scheduled assessments are asked to provide the current utility contract, two years worth of bills, and answer taskers sent from AFCESA to the major command.
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The Air Force is taking advantage of opportunities to incorporate renewable energy on its installations. The Air Force recently conducted assessments on the resource availability and the economic feasibility of developing renewable resources at 75 installations of which six sites are being further evaluated. In fiscal 2012, the Air Force had approximately 256 renewable energy projects on 89 sites either in operation or under construction.
Energy Program News 