CONTACT: Tech. Sgt. Michael O’Halloran at 845-563-2031

FOR RELEASE: Friday, Sep 16, 2011

ON SITE: Tech. Sgt. Michael O’Halloran at 845-563-2031

STEWART AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, NEWBURGH, N.Y. (09/16/2011)(readMedia)-- Stewart Air National Guard Base’s Facility Energy Independence Program has been awarded. Seven bids on the 105th Airlift Wing’s solar project were received. Contract number: FA8650-11-C-5603 Cost: $3,853,944. On 30 August the Air Force awarded Shaw Infrastructure and Environment of Edgewood, MD, a division of The Shaw Group, Baton Rouge, LA, the contract by the Materials & Manufacturing Technology Contracting Division Detachment 1, AFRL/PKM, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. The contractor is required to perform an energy audit to determine Stewart AFB’s existing energy requirements. In conjunction with AFRL and the base’s engineering team, they will then design a smart microgrid power distribution system incorporating a solar photovoltaic and battery storage system. Once a final design is approved, a revised construction schedule will be finalized. This energy system will be designed to provide cost-effective 24/7 power supply security to mission critical loads on the base, including emergency "island mode" operation should the utility grid go down. An extended test period is planned within the project scope to provide operating and economic analysis data on the new system. The Department of Defense has numerous goals to increase its renewable energy use. One goal is to produce or procure 25% of the total installation energy requirement from renewable sources, including solar energy, by 2025 as mandated in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2010.