The U.S. Air Force is adding a microgrid with PV and storage on their remote base in Wake Island, and Hannah Solar Government Services (HSGS) will be handling the design, engineering and construction. The funding for this award comes from the Department of Defense (DoD) Energy Conservation Investment Program (ECIP).
Wake Island, located to the west of the international date line in the North Pacific Ocean, makes up less than 3 square miles of land and is most known for its role in World War II. Shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Wake Island was attacked by the Japanese Empire in what is known as the Battle of Wake Island. Today the Island hosts a U.S. Air Force airfield and ballistic missile defense assets. Currently, those assets are powered by costly fuel that is shipped in from across the Pacific.
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For years the US Air Force has sought out renewable energy to save money on its consumption. But, on Wake Island, saving money isn’t the only objective.
“This is what we mean by ‘energy security,’” said COL (R) Dave McNeil, CEO of HSGS. “With on-site energy generation and energy storage, the Air Force can power its critical facilities without relying on a shipment of fuel.”
The micro-grid HSGS will construct on Wake Island includes a 740 kW DC ground mounted solar array and a battery energy storage system. HSGS will begin the construction of Wake Island’s microgrid in 2018.
HSGS is a veteran-owned business specializing in the design, installation, and maintenance of solar PV energy systems and microgrids. Serving government, commercial, industrial, and utility clients, HSGS’s breadth of experience includes projects that span the continental United States as well as overseas.
— Solar Builder magazine
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