EPA Recognizes DOD Facilities for Achieving Emissions Reductions and Energy Savings
Washington, DC (PRWEB) February 07, 2012
“I salute these military bases for leading by example by reducing pollution, improving their efficiency, and saving valuable tax dollars,” said Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “Our award winners are proving that combined heat and power systems are an effective strategy to help the federal government improve its environmental, energy and economic performance.”
The CHP award was given to the following facilities:
- U.S. Army, Fort Bragg, N.C.
- U.S. Marine Corps, Twentynine Palms, Calif.
The two facilities achieved operating efficiencies of approximately 64 percent, much higher than the efficiency of separate production of electricity and thermal energy, which can be less than 50 percent. CHP technology simultaneously produces electricity and useful thermal energy from a single energy source, such as natural gas, biomass, or wasted energy. As the nation’s single largest energy consumer, the Department of Defense manages more than 2.2 billion square feet of space in 500,000 buildings and structures at 500 major installations around the world. Overall, the Department of Defense accounts for approximately 90 percent of the federal government’s energy use. DoD acknowledges that a strategic approach to facility energy must enhance energy security, conserve scarce budgetary resources and foster economic progress for private industry and American competitiveness.
Reliable energy supplies for its military installations are critical to our nation’s security. DoD has established three central goals for installation energy: to reduce energy use, enhance energy security and increase use of renewable energy and onsite power generation. Onsite power generation reduces military reliance upon an aging and potentially vulnerable electricity grid and increases preparedness. District energy and CHP systems support continued critical base operations in the event of electricity supply disruptions.
District energy systems, as vital energy infrastructure in most major U.S. cities and institutions, are the central focus of this week’s 25th Annual IDEA Campus Energy Conference, Innovations in Clean Energy, taking place in Arlington, VA. The Opening Plenary Panel featured discussion on the reliability, efficiency and cost benefits of state-of-the-art district energy and CHP systems. Panelists included the Honorable Stephen Ayers, Architect of the US Capitol, who is planning installation of an 18 MW CHP facility for the Capitol Power Plant that provides district energy services to the US Capitol; Supreme Court; Library of Congress and Senate and House office buildings on Capitol Hill. The panel also included Kathleen Hogan, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Efficiency, EERE, U.S. Department of Energy; Sarah Dunham, Director of Atmospheric Programs at U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); and senior energy executives from Cornell University, Princeton University, Texas A&M University, Thermal Energy Corporation in Houston, Texas and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
An additional panel focused on Military Bases, Microgrids and Managing Sustainability featured Merrill Smith, Office of Electricity Delivery & Energy Reliability, U.S. Department of Energy; Richard Boyette, U.S. Navy NAV/FAC; John Kelly, Perfect Power Institute; Jonathan Powers, U.S. Army Energy Initiatives Task Force; Ted Borer, Princeton University; and Tim Griffin, RMF Engineering. To view the presentations from this panel, please visit the IDEA Proceedings webpage.
Over 630 attendees are in attendance at the 25th Annual Campus Energy Conference. For more information on district energy, CHP and IDEA, please visit http://www.districtenergy.org.
IDEA serves as a vital information hub for the district energy industry and combined heat and power industries, connecting industry professionals and advancing the technology around the world. With headquarters just outside of Boston, Mass., the 1,500- member IDEA was founded in 1909 and comprises district heating and cooling system executives, managers, engineers, consultants and equipment suppliers from 25 countries. IDEA supports the growth and utilization of district energy as a means to conserve fuel and increase energy efficiency to improve the global environment.
EPA CHP Partnership: Established in 2001, EPA’s CHP Partnership is a voluntary program that encourages the use of CHP to reduce the environmental impact of power generation. The partnership works closely with energy users, the CHP industry, state and local governments and other energy stakeholders to facilitate the development of new projects and to promote energy, environmental and economic benefits. More information about the CHP Partnership: http://www.epa.gov/chp/. More information about the CHP awards: http://epa.gov/chp/public-recognition/current_winners.html.
Contact:
International District Energy Association
24 Lyman St., Suite 230
Westborough, MA 01581
508.366.9339
idea(at)districtenergy(dot)org
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Michelle Parks
International District Energy Assn.
508-366-9339
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