Commander’s Corner
Setting Reasonable
Energy Goals Commander Jeff Sherwood was commissioned as an ensign in the Navy Civil Engineer Corps in 1997 upon graduating from Utah State University. He also holds a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Arizona State University. Within the Naval Construction Force (Seabees), Sherwood served in Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 40; and executive officer, NMCB 11. During those tours, he deployed to Spain, Barbados, Japan and Afghanistan. He completed a year-long tour to Iraq in support of theater wide reconstruction efforts. Sherwood’s’ facilities and acquisition assignments include tours in Japan and Naval Base Kitsap, Washington. He also was Public Works Officer at Naval Support Facility Thurmont and Naval Air Facility Atsugi Japan. Sherwood currently serves as Director of Shore Energy on the Assistant Secretary of the Navy’s Energy, Installations and Environment Staff. He is a Seabee combat warfare officer, a registered professional engineer, and a member of the Defense Acquisition Corps. Interview conducted by NP&FP Editor Joshua T. Cohen
NP&FP: Please describe the Navy’s efforts to upgrade shore facility energy and power infrastructure, what is the ultimate goal for shore installation energy efficiency and what is the timeframe to achieve this? CDR Sherwood: In 2009, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced energy goals that by 2020, the Navy will produce at least 50% of shore-based energy requirements from non-petroleum based alternative sources. Today, the Navy’s Renewable Energy Program Office (REPO) is on target to have one gigawatt (GW) of renewable energy, enough to power 250,000 homes or 14 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, under procurement by 2016, priced at or below traditional power costs. We just announced our largest project to-date, an agreement to construct a 210 Megawatt direct current solar facility, benefiting 14 West Coast Navy and Marine Corps installations. This is the largest purchase of renewable energy ever made by a federal agency. NP&FP: What are some new types of technology and hardware being used to upgrade shore facility energy and power infrastructures? CDR Sherwood: Our shore installations play a critical role in
tacticaldefensemedia.com
Commander Jeff Sherwood
Director Shore Energy Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy Energy, Installations, and Environment
promoting readiness and generating the force structure necessary for mission success. The security and resilience of the electrical grid on our bases and in surrounding communities is critical to mission assurance. We are taking steps to maximize energy efficiency and leverage technologies like distributed generation, distributed storage and demand response management to improve grid stability and make our facilities more resilient. At our Submarine Base in New London, Connecticut, we are working on a partnership with the City of Groton to create a microgrid to provide mutual support to on and off base emergency services, in the event of a natural disaster like Superstorm Sandy. We are also conducting long term testing of a flywheel at Camp Pendleton that provides storage for intermittent solar on what we call a “fractal grid.” The Navy is also among the federal government’s leaders in pursuing third party financing to increase energy efficiency and improve grid stability on our installations, with more than $1.2 billion either under contract or in the pipeline. NP&FP: Please describe Navy energy acquisition reform broadly and how this impacts shore installation energy infrastructure upgrades?
Naval Power & Force Projection | Q1 2015 | 5
Commander’s Corner
CDR Sherwood: We need to think beyond quarterly earnings statement and look long-term to build a sustainable defense. Our platforms and installations must last decades, so we need to keep one eye on today and one on tomorrow.
energy, Secretary Mabus stood up REPO to identify and take the lead on cost-effective renewable energy projects for Navy and Marine Corps installations. REPO plays a critical role in managing installation energy efforts and achieving the secretary’s one GW goal.
Building energy resiliency and enhancing energy security means taking energy into account early in the acquisition process and adopting a less prescriptive, more flexible approach to achieving our goals. We’re working to be become more informed customers and are partnering with industry, communities, and academia to develop new ways of looking at energy challenges and adopting their best practices and innovations.
NP&FP: As the Navy is tasked with a “Pacific Tilt” rebalance of assets, will naval shore facilities on the West Coast receive power and energy infrastructure upgrades sooner than other geographic areas in order to facilitate increased ship operations?
NP&FP: Does the Navy have a priority list of shore facilities slated for energy infrastructure upgrades? CDR Sherwood: The Navy is working to meet mission energy requirements while improving efficiency and resiliency throughout all of our shore facilities. Priorities are developed based on mission requirements, infrastructure condition, and potential return on energy investment. NP&FP: Is there an overall blueprint for Navy shore facility energy infrastructure upgrades? CDR Sherwood: Our shore installations promote readiness, generate the force structure necessary for mission success, and enable combat operations. Achieving energy security and resilience are two objectives of our installation energy strategy. We are working toward those objectives by promoting energy efficiency and the integration of distributed generation technologies at our installations. Investing in micro-grid technology also enables us to optimize our energy use and prioritize power supply to crucial operational centers in case of a commercial grid disruption. With respect to renewable
6 | Naval Power & Force Projection | Q12015
CDR Sherwood: Power and energy infrastructure projects are programed across the Department of the Navy on the basis of mission requirements, existing system capabilities, and potential return on investment. Where necessary to meet changes in mission requirements, utility upgrades will occur. NP&FP: Please identify some highlights and successes regarding shore power and energy infrastructure upgrades. CDR Sherwood: In addition those mentioned, we also signed an agreement with Western Area Power Administration and Sempra U.S. Gas & Power to construct a 210-megawatt (MW) direct current solar facility outside Phoenix, Arizona. A partnership between Duke Energy and the Marine Corps will lead to a 13-megawatt (AC) solar facility being built at the Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. The Navy signed a deal with Georgia Power, a subsidiary of Southern Company, to develop a 42-MW solar generation farm at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, and is using performance contracts like Energy Saving Performance Contracts (ESPC) and Utility Energy Savings Contracts (UESC) to maximize our return on investment. We are also aggressively looking at our non-tactical vehicle fleets for opportunity’s to convert to Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEV) where operationally and financially appropriate.
tacticaldefensemedia.com
Commander’s Corner
tacticaldefensemedia.com
Naval Power & Force Projection | Q1 2015 | 7