by Shane Henson — August 17, 2011—Schneider Electric, a global specialist in energy management, recently announced it is implementing a comprehensive $50 million energy savings performance contract (ESPC) project for the United States Coast Guard (USCG) in Puerto Rico. According to Schneider Electric, the project will improve operations for on-base personnel and mitigate maintenance and design burdens, meet renewable energy mandates without direct capital costs, and stabilize energy costs and security in 960,000 square feet of USCG facilities.
Through the project, 2.89 megawatts of photovoltaic panels on renovated Coast Guard rooftops will be installed over a 13-month period. Schneider Electric is constructing 300 solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on the facilities resulting in guaranteed production of more than four million kilowatt-hours per year. The photovoltaic electricity production, combined with new cool roofs that will reduce the annual cooling load of the buildings by 3.9 billion British thermal units, is expected to result in an overall reduction of utility-purchased electricity by 40 percent.
The facilities team on base can expect to see decreased maintenance and energy costs from this project, and facilities managers working for other U.S. military bases and federal agencies could benefit from Schneider Electric’s expertise as well.
According to Schneider Electric, in the past 20 years, the company has successfully completed hundreds of ESPCs and helped clients around the world save nearly $1 billion. An ESPC project is a partnership between an agency and an energy service company (ESCO), explains Schneider Electric. Using third-party financing, an ESPC offers many long-term benefits such as improved facility efficiency, occupant comfort, and utility savings.
