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NAVFAC Awards Recovery Act Funds for Photovoltaic System Design Contract

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS090701-01
Release Date: 7/1/2009 12:10:00 PM

By James Johnson, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Hawaii Public Affairs

PEARL HARBOR (NNS) -- Using American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds, Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Hawaii awarded a $403,633 architect-engineer contract June 16 to SSFM International, Inc., of Honolulu.

SSFM International, Inc., headquartered in Honolulu, will perform various pre-construction actions that include request-for-proposal development for a grid-tied building integrated photovoltaic power system at Navy facilities in Hawaii. The system will be mounted on the roofs of five large buildings at Pearl Harbor and 10 small buildings at Pacific Missile Range Facility, Kauai. Contract completion is scheduled for later this year.

"We are excited about this photovoltaic project for a number of reasons," said Greg Gebhardt, Navy Region Hawaii/NAVFAC Hawaii energy program manager. "It will help stimulate the economy and provide jobs and opportunity, moves us closer to Hawaii'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 Hawaii."

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 five percent of the Navy's energy consumption on Oahu. During its 20-year service life, the system is expected to retain at least 80 percent of its first year output.

The Department of Defense received $7.4 billion from the ARRA, which is less than one percent of the $787 billion total amount. The Navy in Hawaii received $124 million to modernize Navy and Marine Corps shore infrastructure, enhance America's energy independence and sustain a steady and robust maritime force for decades. In order to help put local contractors to work, ARRA funds will be spent as quickly as possible.