Costs cast shadow on MCAS solar power

  One might think that Yuma would be a hub for solar power. So why hasn't the Marine Corps Air Station fully harnessed the bountiful sunshine to meet its energy needs?

  Huge initial investments cast a shadow on solar power's viability here. Combine that with the technology's timid performance at catching enough energy from rays and number crunchers fail to see profit in solar's sexiness.

  But economics aside, the president signed a law in December 2007 directing the government to shift at least 20 percent of the energy it consumes to renewable sources.

  The station uses about 13 megawatts of energy per year, and 20 percent of that would be 2.6 megawatts. The station currently pays $10 per watt, and at that rate, alternatives would need to cost $26 million to comply with the federal law and break even.

  "If we want to meet the new standard set by the president, it is up to us to come up with a plan," said Ron Durfey, station energy manager.

  Currently, the station has installed 197 solar-powered street lights around the station, which generate only about 1.7 kilowatts.

  These lights are just the beginning of creating more solar-powered energy on station, said Durfey.

  A deadline has not been set for meeting the new law, but the station Installation and Logistics department has plans for four different solar energy projects around station in order to take the first steps toward compliance.

  Station I and L plans to put thin-film solar power cells on top of four sunshades around station.

  "The thin-film solar power strips are basically like a roll of carpet; you just unroll it and apply it to a surface," said Durfey.

  They also have plans to apply the thin-film cells on the motor transportation building to charge the electric scooters and to build a canopy with thin-film on it to power a fast-fill compressed natural gas pump for the government vehicles on station.

  "Different facilities (use) more kilowatts than others," said Durfey. "The environmental building uses a lot so we hope to reduce the energy consumption by using solar power over there."

  These four projects will cost roughly $2.4 million but will only generate 30 kilowatts each.

  Unfortunately, solar power is not cost effective for the station yet, said Durfey. It would take about 40 years for the cost of solar power equipment to pay for itself at the current rate, he said.

  "The air station is trying to move forward with this," said Durfey. "It's not economics that's mandating these changes; it's the presidential law."

  The air station purchases its power from Arizona Public Service.

  "The higher the utility rate, the sooner it will pay for itself," said Durfey. "California's utility rates are two times higher than ours, so alternative energy is more cost effective over there. Until you are paying 18-20 cents per kilowatt hour, it just won't be worth it."

  The solar power thin-film strips have a 25-year warranty and would have to be replaced after that time; therefore it would not pay itself off, said Durfey.

  "I foresee solar energy sources becoming economical in the future but not in my lifetime," said Durfey.

  While solar power is the most plausible alternative energy source here, the station is also researching and testing geothermic energy sources in the Chocolate Mountains.

  "Twentynine Palms and Barstow (Marine bases) have started utilizing wind power, but it just wouldn't work here in Yuma," said Durfey. "We don't get nearly as much wind as those places."

  "Sometimes meeting the law is a higher priority than economics," said Durfey.

  If the station could lower its energy use, it wouldn't cost as much to meet the standard.

  One thing that the station energy department is doing to cut the cost of energy is changing the air conditioning thermostats in buildings on station to a direct digital control system, which controls the air conditioning units from one computer.

  This will allow them to regulate the temperature and use of the A/C units and limit those who abuse the thermostats.

  "We do what we can, but we can only do so much," said Michael Boyd, station energy technician. "It's up to everybody else to do their part and help conserve energy."

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This story is reprinted from The Desert Warrior, the newspaper of Marine Corps Air Station Yuma.