Photo By Sgt. Brian Marion | Gina McCarthy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, congratulates...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. — Marine Corps Air Station Miramar bested all other government installations nationwide to win the 2015 EPA Federal Green Challenge Award for Energy May 20.
Gina McCarthy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, presented the award to Col. John Farnam, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar commanding officer, at the public works building on MCAS Miramar, California.
The station received the award because it had the greatest reduction in energy use nationwide in 2014.
“I can’t thank the team enough for this,” said Farnam. “I thank the community that’s come together to focus on our energy use, and the difference that we’re making every day.”
In 2014, MCAS Miramar reduced its total fuel oil consumption by 98% by building a new aircraft hangar, bringing a natural gas system to the installation and eliminating the old diesel fuel system.
“Environmental protection is about protecting people from environmental harm, and we are here to celebrate,” said McCarthy. “I couldn’t be more excited to be here and talk about all the great work that’s being done here.”
McCarthy also toured the public works building and various energy and water initiatives across the installation.
“We showed her how we are retrofitting our buildings to make them more efficient, and portions of our water conservation measures,” said Mick Wasco, the MCAS Miramar Energy Program Manager.
One project Wasco and his team are working on is a zinc-bromide flow battery connected to solar panels that stores electricity for future use.
“I can’t thank [the Marines] enough not only for being here so we can celebrate their current success, but [also for] looking at how they are looking at their own future,” said McCarthy. “It is really an inspiration to all of us. If you ever wanted to have both somebody leading the way and covering you when you are in a battle like we are in to actually reduce carbon pollution and save water, wouldn’t you expect the Marines to play that role? They have always done it, and I am so proud of them.”
Continuing with its energy conservation efforts, the installation plans on eliminating most of its propane usage and converting it to natural gas usage, and also expanding the areas it uses reclaimed water in.
“We have multiple projects ongoing, and we will continue to do projects into the foreseeable future to help with energy conservation, renewable energy, and energy security,” said Wasco. “The larger effort will be to turn the whole installation into a micro grid, while enabling the onsite renewable landfill gas power to be the main source of energy for the air station’s resiliency.”
| Date Taken: | 05.20.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 05.27.2015 15:46 |
| Story ID: | 164712 |
| Location: | SAN DIEGO, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 97 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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