US: Army Signs Power Purchase Agreement with Apex Clean Energy for Hybrid Wind/Solar Energy Project

Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Energy, in coordination with the U.S. Army Office of Energy Initiatives (OEI) and Fort Hood, has signed a Renewable Energy Supply Agreement (RESA) with Apex Clean Energy Holdings, LLC, for 65.8 MW of electricity from a combination of large-scale renewable energy solar and wind facilities to serve Fort Hood in Texas. The Army is expected to pay about $168 million less than what it would pay for power from the traditional electricity grid over the course of the 28-year agreement.

Apex’s groundbreaking hybrid energy project—the Army’s largest single renewable energy project to date—is sized to optimize the solar energy produced by the Phantom Solar facility on-site at Fort Hood and the wind energy produced at the Cotton Plains Wind energy facility in Floyd County, Texas. Apex is collaborating with two Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses in the development and construction of the project, Tennessee Valley Infrastructure Group (TVIG) and American Helios. TVIG will serve as the Balance of Plant contractor on the wind energy component project, and American Helios Constructors will support construction of the solar component of the project.

“The project at Fort Hood, the Army’s first hybrid and largest single renewable energy project to date, is an excellent example of the extraordinary results we can achieve through collaboration,” said Katherine Hammack, assistant secretary of the Army for installations, energy, and environment. “The Army will continue to partner with private-sector entities such as Apex Clean Energy, Inc., to expand renewable energy initiatives on our installations. By working together, we can ensure a sustainable world for future generations.”

“We are proud to be working with several Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses to support the Department of Defense’s goals to preserve energy surety and harness more clean, domestic energy to power military facilities,” said Mark Goodwin, Apex Clean Energy president. “As a veteran myself, I am honored to be partnering with the Army on a renewable energy project that will ensure a consistent, affordable, and secure energy resource for Fort Hood for years to come.”

Apex’s hybrid project will feature 50.4 MW of wind energy from the Cotton Plains Wind energy facility in Floyd County, Texas, and 15.4 MWac solar on-site at Fort Hood. The project will begin providing energy to Fort Hood in 2017.