Asbury Park Press – Joint Base shifts toward solar energy with $140M project

WRIGHTSTOWN ― Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst broke ground Thursday on a massive solar array and energy efficiency project, one that will provide nearly 32 megawatts of renewable energy once complete, according to energy company Ameresco, Inc.

The $140 million project will include 18 megawatts of rooftop solar panels, 13.7 megawatts of ground solar panels and 2 megawatt — or 4 megawatt-hours — of battery storage for the Joint Base, according to the energy company.

The project should save the Joint Base about $4.7 million annually in energy costs, according to base spokesman Derek VanHorn. Overall energy usage at the facility should drop about 22% as a result of the upgrades, with electricity use declining 42%, he said.

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