Hill Air Force Base completes $42 million upgrade to its electrical energy system in support of 'critical mission needs of warfighters'

More than 250 buildings at Hill Air Force Base near Ogden have undergone upgrades as part of a $42 million solar power project. The Air Force has recently completed construction of the project that will improve energy efficiency and resiliency at the base.

“The Hill AFB project, part of the Air Force Civil Engineer Center’s (AFCEC) Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) program, upgraded infrastructure and energy systems at the base. The project generates an energy savings of 56 million kilowatt hours (kWh) per year, which covers the cost of the ESPC improvements,” said Mike Ringenberg, ESPC program manager.

“The completion of construction of the ESPC project at Hill AFB continues the Air Force’s pursuit of resiliency and conservation, along with deployment of cost-effective green energy,” said Abhiit Duttagupta, AFCEC Energy Directorate project manager.

AFCEC, in collaboration with the Defense Logistics Agency – Energy (DLA-E), awarded the contract to Energy Systems Group, an energy service company, in April 2018, for upgrades to 258 buildings, totaling 6 million square feet by incorporating seven energy conservation measure upgrades. The scope of the project included construction of a solar array and other project upgrades that will reduce energy consumption and maintenance costs at the installation.

The addition of the 3.55-megawatt solar array to an existing 250-kilowatt fixed ground mount system increases the annual energy savings by 5.7 million kilowatt hours, the Air Force said.  The project upgraded roughly 60,000 light fixtures to LEDs, improved the Air Logistics Complex industrial process by completely renovating compressed air systems, upgraded industrial air systems for six bay painting hangars and installed dip tank covers on 24 tanks, which are used for prepping aircraft component.

“The ESPC program gives the Air Force an important tool to make smart energy decisions, optimize energy using 21st century technologies and support mission assurance through energy assurance,” said Dan Soto, AFCEC Energy director.

Air Force readiness requires resilient energy to meet critical mission needs and support the warfighter, the Air Force said. To date, AFCEC Energy has collaborated with contracting groups to develop and award $1.175 billion in energy savings contracts.