Fort Polk, a US Army installation in Louisiana, is about to get a big solar power boost. Clean energy developer Onyx Renewables has wrapped up construction on two 13 megawatt ground-mount solar projects. The solar arrays are scheduled to come online this fall.
Despite Republican opposition to solar, the Army recognizes its benefits. Developed in partnership with sustainable infrastructure company Corvias, the project at Fort Polk (formerly Fort Johnson) is part of a push to help the Army cut energy costs and improve resiliency. The solar systems are designed to deliver stable electricity prices for the base under a 25-year power purchase agreement – and in their first year, they’re projected to meet 40% of the electricity needs for on-base housing.
Fort Polk’s solar arrays sit on 97 acres and will be financed, owned, and operated long-term by Onyx. Battery storage and microgrid tech will also be added later to help strengthen the base’s energy independence.
“By increasing onsite energy capacity with distributed resources, we are not only bolstering crucial resilience across the base but also generating savings that will benefit the military community stationed there,” said Kevin Cox, SVP of Origination at Onyx.
Onyx and Corvias have worked with the Army before, such as on projects at Fort Riley. Corvias CEO Chris Wilson said the company’s work across military housing reflects how critical energy resilience is to national security. “By enhancing the energy infrastructure of military installations, we are helping to meet tomorrow’s defense needs.”
Read more: 5 US military bases in the Carolinas just signed up for solar power
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