US Military Microgrids – Why?

The ability to reliably incorporate solar PV and energy storage into military energy systems is a critical objective for the United States DOD.  Reliance on diesel fuel in remote regions in the world is a weak point in military operations, and the results can be costly and deadly due to the challenge of transporting fuel through hostile regions.  Additionally, the us DOD recognizes climate change as a driver of increasing instability, resulting in internal and external pressure to reduce emissions.

Often called the Climate Elephant at climate negotiations, The US Department of Defense (DOD) is the largest consumer of fossil fuels, and the biggest greenhouse gas emitter in the world.  Diesel can cost up to $400 per gallon by the time it gets to the front line. Transporting fuel in war-zones is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, which is one of many reasons military bases are looking at renewable energy microgrids.

For these reasons, the US military has become one of the key drivers of microgrid growth, as government funding advances mobile power and hybrid microgrid solutions.  The investment has already made military microgrid projects more secure and reliable.

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Military Microgrid projects currently being tracked include:

  • CAMP PENDLETON MICROGRID

    Camp Pendleton South, CA, United States

    camp pendleton microgrid ‘FRACTAL GRID’

    525 KW Solar   0 KW Wind   200 KW Gas/Diesel   0 KW Fuel Cell   0 KW Hydro   300 KWH Storage

  • FORT CARSON MICROGRID

    Fort Carson, CO, United States

    fort-carson-military-microgrid

      2000 KW Solar   0 KW Wind   3000 KW Gas/Diesel   0 KW Fuel Cell   0 KW Hydro   Storage 5,000KW

  • PEARL HARBOUR

    Pearl Harbor, HI, United States

    WIND, PV, DIESEL,

      146 KW Solar   50 KW Wind   KW Gas/Diesel   KW Fuel Cell   KW Hydro   Storage 1,250KW

  • ANDAMAN ISLAND – INDIAN COAST GUARD MICROGRID

    Andaman Islands, North and Middle Andaman, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India

    From Optimal Power Solutions: OPS together with Optimal Power Synergy India have completed a new solar PV, micro-grid system in ..

      75 KW Solar   KW Wind   KW Gas/Diesel   KW Fuel Cell   KW Hydro   Storage

  • MAXWELL AFB

    Maxwell AFB, Montgomery, AL, United States

    From Lawrence Berkely Microgrid Report: Maxwell Air Force Base (a military microgrid) The Maxwell AFB Microgrid is a research and ..

      KW Solar   KW Wind   1300 KW Gas/Diesel   KW Fuel Cell   KW Hydro   Storage

  • FORT SILL

    Turner Rd, Lawton, OK 73503, USA

    For Sill Microgrid
    The microgrid is composed of two natural gas generators, a battery energy storage inverter, renewables, and a static switch. Design ..

      20 KW Solar   2.5 KW Wind   480 KW Gas/Diesel   KW Fuel Cell   KW Hydro   400 kW, 56 kWh lithium ion (Li-ion) Storage

  • PHILADEPHIA NAVY YARD

      KW Solar   KW Wind   KW Gas/Diesel   KW Fuel Cell   KW Hydro   Storage

  • CAMP SMITH MILITARY MICROGRID |

    Camp H M Smith, Halawa, HI, United States

      KW Solar   KW Wind   KW Gas/Diesel   KW Fuel Cell   KW Hydro   Storage

  • WEST POINT MICROGRID

    West Point, NY, United States

    west point microgrid

      249 KW Solar   KW Wind   KW Gas/Diesel   KW Fuel Cell   KW Hydro   Storage

  • INDIAN HEAD NWC

    NSWC Indian Head EOD Technology Division, Indian Head Highway, Indian Head, MD, United States

      KW Solar   KW Wind   KW Gas/Diesel   KW Fuel Cell   KW Hydro   Storage

  • FORT DEVENS

    Fort Devens, MA, United States

    Share this:

      KW Solar   KW Wind   KW Gas/Diesel   KW Fuel Cell   KW Hydro   Storage

  • FORT BELVOIR DC MICROGRID

    Fort Belvoir, VA, United States

    fort belvoir dc microgrid

    Share this:

      16 KW Solar   KW Wind   KW Gas/Diesel   KW Fuel Cell   KW Hydro   Storage

  • CANNON AFB

    Cannon AFB, NM, United States

    Share this:

      KW Solar   KW Wind   KW Gas/Diesel   KW Fuel Cell   KW Hydro   Storage

  • VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE MICROGRID

    Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA, United States

    vandenberg air force base microgrid
    Vandenberg AFB in microgrid is transitioning from a conventional microgrid to a smart microgrid with renewable energy and batteries. – .. 
  • KIRTLAND AFB MICROGRID |

    Kirtland AFB, Albuquerque, NM, United States

  • FORT HUNTER LIGGETT

    Fort Hunter Liggett, Monterey County, CA, United States

    STORAGE, SOLAR, BIOGAS, CHP
    https://building-microgrid.lbl.gov 

    8000 KW Solar  8000 kWh Storage 2,000KW

  • OTIS AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE

    Otis Air National Guard Base, Sandwich, MA, United States

    air force microgrid camp otis WIND, SOLAR
     
  • GROTON SUBMARINE BASE

    Naval Submarine Base New London, Crystal Lake Road, Groton, CT, United States

    COGENERATION, DIESEL 

    1500 KW Gas/Diesel  Storage 13,000KW

  • PHILADELPHIA NAVY YARD MICROGRID

    Philadelphia Navy Yard, Philadelphia County, PA, United States

 

Microgrids play a vital role in global military operations.  Military Microgrids can firm up security on domestic bases as well as foreign military bases.  According to Peter Asmus of Pike Research, all military bases will become microgrids.

Military Microgrid Projects

camp pendleton microgrid

Military MICROGRID COMPANIES

CleanSpark

Military Microgrid News

Military Microgrid News

Spiders

The military loves acronyms, and this is a good one.

THE SMART POWER INFRASTRUCTURE
DEMONSTRATION FOR ENERGY RELIABILITY AND SECURITY

SPIDERS is a coalition of government agencies and national laboratories is working to increase electric power surety by developing new microgrid architectures that can function independently of the bulk electric grid.

SPIDERS VISION: 

To create fully independent and secure microgrids that are resilient to power disruption, protected against cyber attack, and reflect more sustainable energy practices, including greater efficiency, less reliance on fossil fuels, and integrating renewable sources of electricity generation.

Military Microgrids

Fractal Grid

San Diego based CleanSpark has offered a cyber-secure alternative to the SPIDERS microgrid architecture that meets military objectives and is infinitely scalable. The “grid of grids” concept was deployed at Camp Pendleton in California where the project has caught the eye of many military branches. It came out of a need for the base to meet energy security objectives without significant time or R&D investment.

Military Microgrid List to date::

GROTON SUBMARINE BASE, MAXWELL AFB, CAMP PENDLETON, PHILADEPHIA NAVY YARD, FORT SILL, FORT CARSON, PEARL HARBOUR, WEST POINT, FORT DEVENS, CANNON AFB, VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, KIRTLAND AFB MICROGRID, FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, ANDAMAN ISLAND – (INDIAN COAST GUARD MICROGRID), CAMP SMITH, WEST POINT, INDIAN HEAD NWC, FORT BELVOIR DC MICROGRID, CANNON AFB, KIRTLAND AFB, OTIS AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, GROTON SUBMARINE BASE