Guam Students Learn About Navy Energy Alternatives

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Peter Lewis

SANTA RITA, Guam (NNS) -- Students from Harry S. Truman Elementary School in Santa Rita visited U.S. Naval Base Guam (NBG) May 5, to see and learn about the Navy's usage of solar panel arrays.

Kevin Evans, Joint Region Marianas energy manager, spoke to the children about the most frequently used energy source, oil, as well as alternative energy sources including wind, water, geothermal, geoexchange, nuclear, biomass and solar.

"We want the students to know where energy comes from, what our traditional types of energy are and what our alternative forms of energy are," Evans said. "These kids were spot on. They are really sharp and know a lot about energy."

Evans showed the students the installation's solar panel array, which is used to power approximately 45 military housing units. He explained how the panels collect solar energy and how the direct current (DC) electricity produced is sent through an inverter to create alternating current (AC) electricity, which can be used in the home.

Elizabeth Reed, Truman's Gifted and Talented Education teacher, said that the visit to the base to learn about energy alternatives tied in well with what her students had been learning in school.

"We've been studying solar energy since the beginning of the school year," she said. "I think it's very important to have these kids start learning about alternative energy resources."

Reed said that the students were very excited to learn about the Navy's alternative energy efforts. She thanked the Navy for its continuing effort to help the school and said that she hopes the relationship can continue long into the future.

"[The relationship] is really wonderful," she said. "If we give out a call, the military will always come out and help."

According to a release from Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Marianas, the NBG solar photovoltaic system array was the third component in the Navy's $34.1 million-initiative to conserve energy on NB0G through its energy savings performance contract (EPSC), awarded in April 2009.

NAVFAC Marianas and NBG officials celebrated the completion of the solar array project in Oct. 29, 2010.