Duke Energy and Ameresco to deploy a 1.1 megawatt (MW) floating solar project at Fort Bragg

North Carolina — Ameresco announced that the U.S. Army has awarded to Duke Energy and Ameresco’s Federal Solutions Group a utility energy service contract (UESC) to implement power generation and facility efficiency improvements at Fort Bragg.

In partnership with Duke Energy, Ameresco will deploy a 1.1 megawatt (MW) floating solar photovoltaic (PV) system on the Big Muddy Lake at Camp Mackall, a remote Special Forces training site at the base. A 2 MW battery energy storage system will provide seamless transition to on-site generation during utility provider outages.

This system will supplement power from the local grid and provide backup power during electric service outages. Under the $36 million design-build contract, Duke secures third-party financing to fund construction, and the U.S. Army pays down the financing annually with the utility savings that the project generates over the term of the contract.

Ameresco will also implement improvements to the boiler system, HVAC systems and lighting systems, as well as water conservation systems. In year one of the performance period, the contract will result in utility cost savings for the Army of over $2 million, a reduction in site energy use of 7% and a site water use reduction of 20%. In addition to reducing facility energy consumption, the modernization of these building systems is designed to reduce the number and frequency of equipment failures, freeing Fort Bragg personnel to focus on mission-critical activities. Construction is slated to begin in November 2020.

“With one-tenth of the Army housed at Fort Bragg, including Special Operations, Airborne and Global Response Force forces, it is imperative to provide energy security and improvements to the installation’s utility infrastructure,” said Nicole Bulgarino, Ameresco Executive Vice President & General Manager of Federal Solutions. “We’re eager to get to work installing these energy-saving and resiliency measures across Fort Bragg and to support the readiness of the U.S. Army by maintaining a continuous power supply at this critical installation.”