The U.S. military has put an increasing emphasis on eco-friendly ops in recent years, and now Fort George G. Meade in Maryland is joining that effort.
Viridity Energy recently reported that it has been selected to help the fort optimize its energy efficiency and provide virtual energy to the grid.
Under this partnership, energy reductions achieved at Fort Meade will be monetized and sold across energy markets, creating revenue for the fort.
Load control measures — including HVAC optimization, generator dispatch and leveraging ice storage — will be part of the mix, as will evaluation by onsite energy professionals from Sain Engineering, who will facilitate and manage the program for Fort Meade.
Viridity Energy recently announced its agreement with Defense Logistics Agency – Energy to pursue load curtailment at federal and military facilities across the country, and the Fort Meade project — encompassing 85 tenant units, over 5,067 acres, with 1,517 buildings –should prove an excellent place to start.
“Given the size and scope of Fort Meade and its operations, this partnership represents a substantial opportunity for us,” said Randy Williams, Public Works Engineering Division Chief for Fort Meade, in a statement.
He notes that the Baltimore-Washington corridor, where Fort Meade is located, features some of the highest retail energy rates and grid congestion in the country.
“This initiative will help us leverage new and innovative programs that can both reduce our energy use and enable us to provide unused capacity back into the grid at premium prices to improve grid stability,” he said.
