Navy Family Housing in Hawaii Reduces Carbon Footprint
Story Number: NNS080619-11
Release Date: 6/19/2008 3:46:00 PM
By Don Rochon, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Pacific Public Affairs
PEARL HARBOR (NNS) -- The Navy and Marine Corps' Public-Private Venture (PPV) housing contractor in Hawaii, Forest City Military Communities, held a photovoltaic (PV) "commissioning" ceremony June 16 at a Navy family housing community center to help commemorate a prestigious energy award they received.
The ceremony at the Halsey Terrace community center took place on a picture-perfect day, and it highlighted the abundant Hawaiian sunshine as an important energy source for the 477 PV panels that lined the rooftops of the center's buildings.
The 477 PV panels will deliver 107 kilowatts (kw) of peak energy capacity, enough power for 10 homes. The 107 kw of renewable electrical energy means that 270 barrels of oil a year will not have to be used to generate the same amount of electricity. It also means that annually, 140 tons of carbon and sulfur dioxide will not be placed into the environment.
In addition to the hundreds of PV panels soaking up the sun, many dignitaries were on hand to also bask in the beautiful Hawaiian sunshine, including Governor of Hawaii Linda Lingle, Thomas Kimbis, director, Solar America Showcases for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), John Wallenstrom, senior vice president of Forest City Military Communities Hawaii, Rear Adm. Townsend Alexander, commander, Navy Region Hawaii, and Rear Adm. Michael Giorgione, commander, Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Pacific.
"This is a very significant event for the Navy in Hawaii, and Navy Region Hawaii is absolutely committed to energy conservation and exploring alternative sources of energy," said Alexander. "Our Sailors who live in these homes and the others built by Forest City know that when they deploy, their families are safe and are living in good quality homes and neighborhoods, and that is one thing they don't have to worry about."
Lingle praised the military and Forest City for making renewable energy a high-priority.
"Every step forward is an important step as we make this transformation away from an over dependence of oil, and toward one of energy independence and energy security," she said.
The Halsey Terrace PV project was selected by the DOE in 2007 as one of three premiere Solar America Showcases projects. The DOE provides technical assistance to large-scale (in excess of 100 kw), high-visibility solar installation projects that have the ability to impact the market for solar technologies through large project size, the use of a novel solar technology, and/or use of a novel application for a solar technology.
"The Solar America Showcases program is part of the Solar America Initiative, a presidential initiative designed to lower the cost of solar electricity so that it's competitive with grid electricity by 2015," said Kimbis during the ceremony.
With the prestigious selection by the DOE, a dedicated team of scientists and technical specialists in renewable energy development came to Hawaii to complete a comprehensive survey and analysis of Navy and Marine Corps housing properties on Oahu for Forest City.
One recommendation from the study was the development of solar photovoltaic renewable power to supplement energy purchases. Thus, the Halsey Terrace Community Center PV energy system was born, making it the first solar PV system being installed in Navy-Marine Corps family housing on Oahu. With this system, the PV-generated electricity will be sold back to the NAVFAC Hawaii grid in a net-metering arrangement.
"While Hawaii Navy and Marine Corps family housing has been a leader in the million solar roofs initiative for solar hot water heating, this is the first Navy family housing photovoltaic system project undertaken by a public private venture," said Brad Davis, NAVFAC Pacific PPV Program Manager. "This is a giant step in harnessing opportunities to reduce family housing dependency on electricity."
Over 6,500 Navy family homes have been privatized in Hawaii as part of an overall 61,500 privatized home portfolio nationwide.
