MANA — Photovoltaic panels to allow generation of electricity are planned to be placed on 10 buildings at the U.S. Navy Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands. An architectural and engineering contract has been awarded to Honolulu-based SSFM International,
MANA — Photovoltaic panels to allow generation of electricity are planned to be placed on 10 buildings at the U.S. Navy Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands.
An architectural and engineering contract has been awarded to Honolulu-based SSFM International, Inc., according to a Navy press release.
Work has begun on that $403,633 project, with completion scheduled for Sept. 30. Stimulus funds drove the project, according to the release.
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds were used for the Naval Facilities Engineering Command Hawai‘i.
The Honolulu contractor will perform various pre-construction actions that include Request for Proposal development for a grid-tied building integrated photovoltaic power system at Navy facilities at Pearl Harbor and Barking Sands.
The PV systems will be placed on the roofs of five large buildings at Pearl Harbor and 10 small buildings at PMRF.
“We are excited about this photovoltaic project for a number of reasons,” said Greg Gebhardt, Navy Region Hawaii/NAVFAC Hawai‘i energy program manager.
“It will help stimulate the economy and provide jobs and opportunity, moves us closer to Hawai‘i’s vision of clean energy for the state by displacing our dependence on fossil fuels, and adds to the energy security of our national defense mission in the Pacific and the state of Hawai‘i.”
The design documents are required to create plans for photovoltaic systems that will produce a combined 2.2 mega-watts of continuous power during peak daylight hours in its first year.
That is comparable to the energy required to power approximately 1,000 homes, and is equal to approximately 5 percent of the Navy’s energy consumption on O‘ahu.
No Kaua‘i-specific numbers were available, though Tom Clements, PMRF spokesman, said the sunny Westside is perfect for these systems, with 360 out of 365 days a year of sun in some years.
During its 20-year service life, the system is expected to retain at least 80 percent of its first year output, the release stated.
The U.S. Department of Defense received $7.4 billion from the stimulus act, which is less than 1 percent of the $787 billion total amount.
The Navy in Hawai‘i received $124 million to modernize Navy and Marine Corps shore infrastructure, enhance energy independence, and sustain a steady and robust maritime force.
In order to help put local contractors to work, ARRA funds will be spent as quickly as possible, the release states.
