New Release: Considerations for Retrofitting Existing Solar With Emerging Technologies [RESET]
Considerations For Retrofitting Existing Solar With Emerging Technologies [RESET]
The Big Picture: Over the past decade, the Department of Defense (DoD) has acquired a large fleet of power plants located on, or nearby, its military installations. These power plants include more than 2,000 renewable energy projects that generated 3,700 GWh in 2020 in response to Congressional legislation and Executive Orders.
Why It Matters: Despite the wide deployment of renewable energy projects, DoD continues to rely overwhelmingly on backup diesel generators to provide energy resilience, as “much of the existing deployed solar PV on DoD installations is installed without islanding capability, preventing use as a true resilience solution” (ASD(S), 2020a). DoD’s fleet of existing renewable energy plants represents a significant, but largely untapped, energy resilience resource.
The Retrofitting Existing Solar With Emerging Technologies [RESET] project, sponsored by DoD’s Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP), explores how DoD can utilize its existing renewable energy assets to support its ambitious energy resilience goals. The project specifically investigates the financial, contractual, engineering, and cyber considerations related to energy resilience retrofits to include energy storage capabilities.
The report Considerations for Retrofitting Existing Solar With Emerging Technologies [RESET] summarizes the key questions that project proponents could ask when evaluating solar PV sites for resilience retrofit feasibility. The questions contained in this report are intended to support initial site screening by energy personnel at installations, as well as by staff within the DoD energy program offices, engineering centers, and acquisition agencies. The report is organized into five sections with additional appendices:
Section 1: DoD Energy Policy and Organizational Roles
Section 2: Funding and Financing Considerations
Section 3: Contracting and Legal Considerations
Section 4: Engineering Considerations
Section 5: Cybersecurity Considerations
Appendix A: Risk Management Framework (RMF)
Appendix B: Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC)
What’s Next: This report will support two additional lines of effort under the RESET project, including a feasibility study being conducted at Edwards Air Force Base and a follow-on report providing recommendations and lessons learned for the DoD.
For more information on RESET visit, Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) website.
About Department of Defense, Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP)
ESTCP is DoD’s environmental technology demonstration and validation program. The Program was established in 1995 to promote the transfer of innovative technologies that have successfully established proof of concept to field or production use. ESTCP demonstrations collect cost and performance data to overcome the barriers to employ an innovative technology because of concerns regarding technical or programmatic risk, the so-called “Valley of Death.” To learn more about ESTCP, please visit: www.serdp-estcp.org.
About Converge Strategies, LLC
Converge Strategies, LLC is a consulting company focused on the intersection of clean energy, resilience, and national security. We build partnerships with the military, civilians, and all levels of government to accelerate resilience and security in the clean energy transformation.
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