Construction of Microgrid at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar starts

U.S. Marine Corps and Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest leadership recently celebrated the start of construction for an energy security microgrid at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar, in San Diego, California. Black & Veatch and Schneider Electric, in a joint venture, are providing design and construction support on the project.

Once fully operational, the microgrid will provide resiliency, incorporate renewable energy, and allow operations at mission-critical facilities to continue if the utility power grid is compromised or damaged. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2018.

“Advancing this first-of-its-kind project to the construction phase is a significant milestone,” said Greg Clum, President of Federal Services at Black & Veatch. “Once commissioned, the microgrid solution will help achieve energy efficiency, reliability and cost-saving goals, and protect essential flight line operations.”

“MCAS Miramar is a proven leader in renewable energy deployment,” said Daniel Vesey, U.S. Navy Global Account Manager, Energy and Sustainability Services, Schneider Electric. “This project will not only enhance future renewable energy implementation, but help reduce utility demand charges by facilitating demand response programs and enabling better management of energy loads throughout the installation.”

Construction will include the build out of a new diesel and natural gas power plant and refurbishment of an existing building into an advanced energy and water operations center (EWOC). The EWOC will provide microgrid and plant operators, and base energy personnel with direct control of the integrated microgrid control system, utilizing Schneider Electric’s OASyS SCADA software. The microgrid will also integrate existing power generated from renewable energy sources including biogas from a local landfill and solar photovoltaic (PV) generation, and future energy storage.