Army, Center completes $7 billion renewable energy MATOC awards

U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, huntsville Public Affairs Office
Published Sept. 30, 2013
Wind turbines, similar to the three 275 kilowatt wind turbines erected in May on Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico, are an important piece of the Army’s renewable energy/energy reduction effort.  
The U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville, worked with the Army Energy Initiatives Task Force for renewable energy task orders issued under the $7 billion renewable energy MATOC.

Wind turbines, similar to the three 275 kilowatt wind turbines erected in May on Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico, are an important piece of the Army’s renewable energy/energy reduction effort. The U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville, worked with the Army Energy Initiatives Task Force for renewable energy task orders issued under the $7 billion renewable energy MATOC.

First round awards for solar, wind, geothermal and biomass renewable energy technologies included in the $7 billion Multiple Award Task Order Contract Request for Proposal to develop renewable and alternative energy power production for Department of Defense installations are complete as of Sept. 23.

Altogether, 58 awards were issued for the four technologies, comprised of large corporations and small businesses.  The awards pre-qualify companies to bid on future task orders.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville, developed the MATOC in collaboration with the Energy Initiatives Task Force, which was established by Secretary of the Army John McHugh in 2011.  The EITF serves as the central management office for partnering with Army installations to implement cost-effective, large-scale renewable energy projects, leveraging private sector financing. The EITF focuses on wind, solar, biomass and geothermal large-scale renewable energy projects located on Army installations in the U.S. that are 10 megawatts or greater. 

The EITF will use the MATOC as one of its primary acquisition vehicles to develop large-scale renewable energy projects. “Awarding these contracts in the four distinct technologies, geothermal, solar, wind, and biomass, will allow us to more quickly award task orders for individual future projects as they are identified,” said Col. Robert Ruch, Huntsville Center commander.

“We’re looking forward to continuing to working with the EITF and other potential DOD organizations to help implement renewable energy projects.”

The $7 billion capacity will be expended for the purchase of energy over a period of 30 years or less from renewable energy plants constructed and operated by private firms using private sector financing.  However, it is the intent of the government only to purchase the energy that is produced at the plants, and not to acquire any of the energy generation assets.

The contractors are responsible for financing, designing, building, operating, owning and maintaining the energy plants.  The government will contract to purchase the power through Power Purchase Agreements for up to 30 years in accordance with the terms and conditions stipulated in site or project specific agreements resulting from task orders awarded under multiple Indefinite Delivery (ID)/Indefinite Quantity (IQ) contracts.  Project locations may be on any federal property located within the U.S. including Alaska, Hawaii, territories, provinces or other property under the control of the U.S. government for the duration of contract performance.

With DOD setting a goal to produce or consume 25 percent of its total energy use from renewable sources by year 2025, Secretary McHugh believes the federal renewable and alternative energy contract will provide the Army with an important means to achieve its goal of one gigawatt of renewable energy projects by 2025.

For decades, the Huntsville Center has executed Army programs and specialized missions worldwide that require unique technical expertise, large acquisitions and centralized program management.

Huntsville’s Center’s involvement in the Army’s energy program started in the early 1980s with the program management and technical oversight for the Energy Engineering Analysis Program.