NAVFAC Far East Delivers Sustainable Energy to Fleet Activities Sasebo

By Ronald Inman, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Far East Public Affairs

SASEBO, Japan (NNS) -- Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Far East Public Works Department (PWD) celebrated the installation of a new 76.6 kilowatt (kw) photovoltaic (PV) system during a ribbon cutting ceremony, Aug. 4, at the Commander, Fleet Activities Sasebo (CFAS) Navy Exchange (NEX).

"This 76,590 watt PV system is comprised of over 300 solar modules," said PWD Sasebo Production Division Director Karl Dreikorn. "Each module is rated for approximately 230 watts. It is expected that this system will provide nearly 100 megawatt hours of energy production annually, which is approximately 80 percent of hourly peak electrical consumption of the NEX main store," he added.

While CFAS has previously installed solar photovoltaic systems, this is the first Energy Conservation Investment Program (ECIP) funded initiative at the base. The Secretary of Defense allocates ECIP funds for renewable energy projects that reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

"This is our third ribbon cutting for solar renewable energy at CFAS," Dreikorn said. To date, including this system, CFAS has installed 725 solar modules, which are expected to produce over 220 megawatt hours of electricity annually, or the equivalent of enough electricity for 18 homes annually and 54,000 showers."

All three renewable energy systems on base equate to approximately 270,000 pounds of carbon reduction for the environment.

The design of the NEX PV system was completed in December 2009, and the contract for it was awarded in September 2010. PWD Sasebo plans to implement more renewable energy projects at CFAS with anticipation of additional ECIP funding in the future.

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus laid out five aggressive energy goals in October 2009 to improve our energy security and efficiency, increase our energy independence, and help lead the nation toward a clean energy economy. This initiative assists in achieving the energy goal of increasing alternative energy afloat and ashore where by 2020, the Department of the Navy (DON) will produce at least 50 percent of shore-based energy requirements from alternative sources and 50 percent of DON installations will be net-zero.