- Part of larger energy services contract with Duke
Energy
- Project also includes a 2-MW battery
CHARLOTTE, N.C., June 13,
2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Southeast's largest floating
solar plant will be producing power soon at the U.S. Army's
Fort Bragg in North Carolina after a major utility energy
service contract with Duke Energy and its prime contractor
Ameresco.
The 1.1-megawatt solar facility is part of a $36 million contract that focused on energy
resilience and security at Fort
Bragg, including infrastructure modernization, lighting and
water upgrades, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning, and
boiler system improvements.
"Duke Energy's work with Fort
Bragg will lead to better energy efficiency and cost savings
at the base," said Brian Savoy, Duke
Energy's chief strategy and commercial officer. "We're excited to
help put Fort Bragg at the
forefront of renewable energy innovation through this unique
floating solar facility."
The floating solar system was built on the Big Muddy Lake
located at Camp Mackall. Fort
Bragg will own and operate the solar system.
"We are grateful for our relationship with Duke Energy and
Ameresco," said Col. Scott Pence,
garrison commander for Fort Bragg.
"With this system, the largest floating solar array in the
Southeast, we will be able to provide energy resiliency to
Fort Bragg operations through
sustainable resources. With this partnership, Fort Bragg not only has renewable electricity,
but energy security that will be critical with continuing the
installation's mission during a power outage."
"The opportunity to implement this innovative use of clean
energy technology for a military base as notable as Fort Bragg was one that our Federal Solutions
team was thrilled to lead on," said Nicole
Bulgarino, Ameresco executive vice president and general
manager of Federal Solutions. "The completed floating solar system
– still an underutilized technology in the U.S. – will assure the
Army's mission with clean energy. We look forward to continuing our
relationship with Duke Energy and Fort
Bragg, working to identify additional state-of-the-art
opportunities to reduce the installation's energy consumption and
strengthen its resilience."
The floating solar installation is being paired with a 2-MW
battery energy storage system. The system will supply power to
Fort Bragg from the local grid and
provide power during electric service outages.
"This project fulfills the commitment made in our Army Climate
Strategy to increase resilience while delivering clean energy and
reducing greenhouse gas emissions," said the Honorable Rachel
Jacobson, assistant secretary of the Army for installations, energy
and environment. "When we collaborate with local utilities and
industry to promote energy resilience while powering the local
grid, it is a winning solution across the board."
Floating solar is expected to grow quickly over the next decade.
Currently, only 2% of new solar installations are on water. But the
nation has more than 24,000 human-made bodies of water that could
be useful for floating solar development. (View and download video
and photos).
North Carolina and Duke Energy
are leaders in solar energy. The state is fourth in the nation for
overall solar power capacity. Duke Energy owns and operates more
than 40 solar facilities in North
Carolina – one of which is a 13-MW facility at the Marine
Corps Base Camp Lejeune in Onslow
County.
About Fort Bragg
Fort Bragg has the largest
population of any U.S. military installation, with more than
270,000 people working and living within its boundaries. Among the
many essential organizations at Fort
Bragg, the installation is the home headquarters for U.S.
Army Forces Command and U.S. Army Special Operations Command.
The installation is also home to the Joint Special Operations
Command, the Army's XVIII Airborne Corps, and the headquarters of
U.S. Army Reserve Command.
Womack Army Medical Center is a 1.1 million-square-foot, 117-bed
hospital located on the installation serving more than 200,000
eligible beneficiaries in an eight-county area.
There are two airfields located within the confines of the
installation: Pope Army Airfield and Simmons Army Airfield.
Fort Bragg is the premier
projection platform with one of the most strategic airfields within
the Department of Defense that supports the Immediate Response
Force, the National Mission Force and other locally assigned units.
The U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force can deploy worldwide within 18
hours of notification from Pope Army Airfield.
About Duke Energy
Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in
Charlotte, N.C., is one of
America's largest energy holding companies. Its electric utilities
serve 8.2 million customers in North
Carolina, South Carolina,
Florida, Indiana, Ohio
and Kentucky, and collectively own
50,000 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas unit serves
1.6 million customers in North
Carolina, South Carolina,
Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The company employs 28,000
people.
Duke Energy is executing an aggressive clean energy strategy to
create a smarter energy future for its customers and communities.
The company has goals of at least a 50% carbon reduction from
electric generation and net-zero methane emissions from its natural
gas business by 2030, and net-zero emissions by 2050 from its
electric and natural gas businesses, including Scopes 1, 2 and
certain Scope 3 emissions. The company also is investing in major
electric grid upgrades and expanded battery storage and exploring
zero-emitting power generation technologies such as hydrogen and
advanced nuclear.
Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2022 "World's Most Admired
Companies" list and Forbes' "America's Best Employers" list. More
information is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke
Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos
and videos. Duke Energy's illumination features stories
about people, innovations, community topics and environmental
issues. Follow Duke Energy
on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.
About Ameresco
Founded in 2000, Ameresco, Inc. (NYSE: AMRC) is a leading
cleantech integrator and renewable energy asset developer, owner
and operator. Our comprehensive portfolio includes energy
efficiency, infrastructure upgrades, asset sustainability and
renewable energy solutions delivered to clients throughout
North America and Europe. Ameresco's sustainability services in
support of clients' pursuit of Net Zero include upgrades to a
facility's energy infrastructure and the development, construction,
and operation of distributed energy resources. Ameresco has
successfully completed energy saving, environmentally responsible
projects with Federal, state and local governments, healthcare and
educational institutions, housing authorities, and commercial and
industrial customers. With its corporate headquarters in
Framingham, MA, Ameresco has more
than 1,000 employees providing local expertise in the United States, Canada, and Europe. For more information, visit
www.ameresco.com.
The announcement of completing construction on a project
contract is not necessarily indicative of the timing or amount of
revenue from such contract, of Ameresco's overall revenue for any
particular period or of trends in Ameresco's overall project
backlog. This project was included in Ameresco's previously
reported contracted backlog as of March 31,
2022.
Contact: Randy Wheeless
24-Hour: 800.559.3853
Twitter: @DE_RandyW
Ameresco
Leila Dillon: 508.661.2264
news@ameresco.com
Fort Bragg Public Affairs
fortbraggpublicaffairs@gmail.com
910.432.0502
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SOURCE Duke Energy