Guam - Guam News

Guam -U.S. Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Marianas hosted a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday to mark the start of a solar photovoltaic electricity generating system on U.S. Naval Base Guam.This energy conservation measure (ECM) will install a 250 kilowatt photovoltaic electricity generating system consisting of solar cells that convert sunlight directly into electricity.

[Caption: Santa Rita, Guam May 4 - Capt. Scott Galbreaith, second from left, commanding officer of U.S. Naval Base Guam (NBG), and Capt. Peter Lynch, third from left, commanding officer of U.S. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Marianas, leads the ceremonial groundbreaking for a solar photovoltaic system at NBG May 4. From left, Ralph Focht, director of Johnson Controls Government Systems, LLC; Galbreaith; Lynch; Cmdr. Mike Thornton, public works officer for NBG; and Kevin Evans, energy manager for Joint Region Marianas. (U.S. Navy photo by Jesse Leon Guerrero]

"This is really about a commitment by the United States Navy to reduce our dependence on foreign oil,” said Capt. Peter Lynch, commanding officer for NAVFAC Marianas.  “It is a strategic imperative that we reduce that demand from foreign oil products, and that asset that is renewable is something that we want to take advantage of.”

This $5.9 million solar photovoltaic project represents one of three components in the Navy’s $34.1 million initiative to reduce energy consumption on Guam through its Energy Savings Performance Contact (ESPC) awarded April 2009 to Johnson Controls Government Systems, LLC.  The other two conservation components include installation of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) controls optimization, and energy-efficient lighting upgrades in buildings throughout the base.

“All three ECM components will help the Navy on Guam meet the federal government renewable energy goal to implement 25 percent renewable energy initiatives by the year 2025,” said Kevin Evans, energy manager for Joint Region Marianas.  “By incorporating the proposed measures, we will reduce electrical energy consumption by approximately 6.4 megawatt hours a year, which contributes to achieving the Navy’s energy savings goal and mission to reduce consumption and carbon emissions.”

When completed, the solar photovoltaic system with other energy conservation measures will save approximately $1.7 million annually in energy costs.

“It’s a big effort, but it’s vitally important to our national security and to the American taxpayer, in terms of reducing the bill to the annual requirement for power,” Lynch said. “It’s an exciting time. This is an exciting project.”

The expected completion date for the solar photovoltaic project is September 2010.