Vandenberg AFB captures energy from California sun

  • Published
  • By Kevin Elliott
  • AFCEC Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  The Air Force Civil Engineer Center recently released a request for proposals for a 20-megawatt solar photovoltaic array to be built at Vandenberg AFB, California. Upon completion, the array will generate an estimated 37,387 megawatt hours of electricity per year, enough to provide 25 percent of the base's energy needs.

The array, a joint effort between the 30th Space Wing at the base, Air Force Space Command and AFCEC, will span 170 acres on a demolished family housing site and will be tied directly into the base's power grid.

"The Vandenberg array is a power purchase agreement, which allows us to partner with a private third party developer who will build, own and operate the system," said Ken Domako, 30th Civil Engineer Squadron chief of portfolio optimization at Vandenberg. "The government has no other financial or operational risks."

Under the PPA, Vandenberg purchases electricity produced by the array at a fixed rate for 26 years. The chosen developer will also own and sell the renewable energy credits generated by the project, which further lowers costs for the Air Force.

"The most significant advantage of an agreement like this is the Air Force gets long-term, consistent, secure power," said Dan Gerdes, AFCEC Rates and Renewables division chief. "The base controls more of its destiny."

Increased mission resiliency and security are also benefits.

"Because the power is being produced on the installation, the base will have a higher degree of control over its power systems," Gerdes said. "In the event of a grid failure off base, Vandenberg will still have some mission capability."

"Having a large-scale solar photovoltaic system in operation on the installation will provide another method to receive electricity, which will help increase the base's energy security," Domako added.

AFCEC expects the Vandenberg array to create an electricity cost avoidance of $1.3 million annually and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15,819 metric tons per year, or the equivalent of 3,300 passenger vehicles.

An industry day at the proposed site is scheduled before the RFPs are due. This allowsbusinesses competing for the project to visit the site and ask questions of base energy representatives before submitting their final proposals.

Once the proposals are reviewed, source selection begins and then a developer is chosen. Construction is projected to begin in September 2015, with an estimated completion date of June 2016.