BARSTOW, Calif. - Officials with Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, SunDurance Energy, LLC, and residents of the High Desert attended a ribbon cutting ceremony here Oct. 18, for two solar photovoltaic farms aboard MCLB Barstow.
Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Energy, Installation and Environment) Roger Natsuhara, also attended the ceremony that marked the completion of construction to the solar photovoltaic array power purchase agreement project, which began in January.
There are currently two sites aboard the installation, one on the Nebo side which encompasses 2.73 acres, and on the Yermo annex of the base, 4.82 acres has been allocated for the newest renewable energy project. The estimated savings these solar farms will produce is approximately $3.9 million in electricity costs over the next two decades.
SunDurance Energy, LLC, the system owner of the solar farm project aboard MCLB Barstow was awarded the contract in December 2011.
“We’re all on board with embracing what is green not only so we can be good stewards to taxpayers and gain efficiency on energy consumption, but also for our planet,” said Col. Michael Scalise, MCLB Barstow’s commanding officer.
This event marked the very first solar project at a Marine Corps installation that adheres to the Department of Defense’s move toward more sustainable practices and also contributes to DoD’s energy goals to procure half the power at shore installations from alternative energy sources by 2020. The solar farms are expected to provide approximately 8 percent of the total energy load aboard the base and will provide electricity to the base at a lower cost than it currently pays.