Duke Energy was recently awarded a $22 million energy service contract by Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, in Onslow County, N.C., to design and build a microgrid at an education and training area within the military base. The award is funded partly by the Energy Resilience Conservation Investment Program, which funds Department of Defense projects to improve energy resilience, security, and conservation.

The microgrid will include upgraded electrical infrastructure, 5 megawatts (MW) of on-site natural gas-fired generation, a 5.4 MW battery energy storage system, integration of an existing solar photovoltaic system, and a microgrid controller to provide integrated demand management, black start, and islanding capability.

“We're excited to bring additional energy reliability and resiliency to Camp Lejeune," said Melisa Johns, vice president, Distributed Energy Solutions and Regulated Renewables at Duke Energy. “This project offers a number of innovative and integrated solutions that will lead to more efficient energy use and significant cost savings to Camp Lejeune.”

The microgrid will enhance reliability at the base by providing its operators with better load management capabilities and power supply control during unplanned outages. Camp Lejeune holds the largest population of Marines in the Marine Corps and makes up almost 20 percent of the Marine Corps’ energy consumption.

The microgrid development is the second energy efficiency project partnership between Duke Energy and Camp Lejeune following the 2015 completion of a 13-MW solar facility to reduce emissions and energy costs.

Tags : The Energy Grid, All