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Energy Conservation Goes Through Roof in Seal Beach Solar Project

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS100915-25
9/15/2010

By Mario Icari, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest Public Affairs

SEAL BEACH, Calif. (NNS) -- Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Southwest held a ceremonial ribbon cutting Sept. 15 celebrating the completion of a Recovery Act funded photovoltaic (PV) carport system at Naval Weapons Station (NWS) Seal Beach.

Guest speakers at the ribbon cutting ceremony included NWS Seal Beach Commanding Officer CAPT Terry Auberry, NWS Seal Beach Public Works Officer LCDR Chad Lorenzana, Stronghold Engineering Director of Electrical Division Mike King, and Stronghold Engineering Quality Control Manager Robert Stuart.

NAVFAC Southwest awarded the $1.9 million Recovery Act contract to Stronghold Engineering Sept. 29, 2009 to build the 190 kw PV system mounted on the roof of a new pre-engineered steel building which will serve as a canopy for station cranes at NWS Seal Beach. The PV system consists of 812 individual 235 watt modules (solar panels).

The photovoltaic system will produce approximately 265,310 kw-hours per year, enough energy for 15 houses. The energy produced will offset 328,983 pounds of carbon dioxide per year. This is the amount of carbon dioxide that an average car emits over 33 years. The system will save the station over $30,500 per year in electrical costs.

"It's always a good day when you can replace a dilapidated parking structure with a new structure like this one, especially when it serves a purpose that directly supports the mission of the base, said LCDR Chad Lorenzana, NAVFAC Southwest public works officer for NWS Seal Beach. "It's even a better day when that structure produces renewable energy to help the base meet its energy efficient goals."

This is the third building at NWS Seal Beach where Stronghold Engineering has constructed a photovoltaic system. The three combined photovoltaic systems have a total of over 2,000 solar panels and will produce approx. 6.5 percent of the total power usage at NWS Seal Beach.

"The Energy Policy Act of 2005 included a goal to increase our use of renewable energy by 7.5 percent by 2013," said Lorenzana. "With these three projects we have nearly met that goal."