Alternative Energy Projects

Solar

New solar shade structures built at Fort Bliss, Texas

We are furnishing and installing new solar shade structures featured to the right.  The project consists of photovoltaic (PV) panels that serve as integral roof components to parking shade structures and connect to the power grid to provide renewable energy at buildings 2417, 2418, and 2419 at Fort Bliss in Texas for the US Army Corps of Engineers in Huntsville, Alabama (CEHNC).

U.S. Army solar thermal swimming pool completed

We completed construction on the Rinehart Fitness Center at Ft. Still, Oklahoma for the U.S. Army in July of 2011. Adjacent to the pool, on its west side, rows of solar panels provide a heat source that augments existing natural gas-fueled boilers. This renewable energy source is Fort Sill's first step into solar power and may light the way toward other projects that may soon dot the post landscape thanks to SEI Group.  

Preliminary data suggests the post is saving about 4.3 million British thermal units, which works out to about $30,000 a year in energy costs using these solar panels. Given this return on investment, the panels should pay themselves off in 10 years, though volatility of commodities markets may realize this payback scenario several years quicker.

Water is circulated through the black panels and returned to a utility room where the temperature is moderated before being sent out to the pool. Brown said because of the ongoing heat wave, the solar panels are working too well and are not in use.

The post established 84 degrees as the optimal temperature for the pool, and will continue to use boilers in the winter or during cloudy days when the sun is obscured.

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Wind 

Installing wind turbines for the U.S. Marine Corps

We are installing and evaluating one 100 KW wind turbine at each of six (6) Marine Corps Reserve Centers located in Syracuse NY, Great Lakes IL, Galveston TX, Amarillo TX, Brooklyn NY, and Kansas City MO as a part of our Naval Facilities and Command (NAVFAC), Engineering Service's Center (ESC) contract.

Thermal Efficiency

Developing a condensing boiler for the U.S Navy

We are developing a designing package for the installation and evaluation of condensing hot water boilers at two Navy sites for the Naval Facilities and Command (NAVFAC), Engineering Service's Center (ESC).  A condensing boiler is a boiler that captures the latent heat of condensation of water vapor in the flue gas exhaust and uses it to heat the return water, resulting in greater thermal efficiency than a conventional boiler. 

Condensing water heater package for the U.S. Navy

LED Lighting

U.S. Navy LED lighting project at Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC), CA

This U.S. Navy lighting project will modernize a 100K SF office building located on the Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC), CA.  Thus, we are replacing existing lighting fixtures with a state-of-the-art lighting system incorporating individual pendant lighting for each cubicle with individual occupant controls for the down lighting, spectrally enhanced lighting, automatic occupancy controls for the indirect up lighting, and LED task lighting.  The new system will be evaluated for energy savings and occupant acceptance.  The project also includes the installation and evaluation of recessed LED lighting for emergency lighting and entryway fixtures.