MARCH 26, 2026 – For more than a dozen years, a U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center program provided life cycle project management for renewable energy projects leveraging private sector financing.
When officials from Fort Carson’s Department of Civil works finalized and accepted the 47-acre solar-voltaic facility designed, built, operated and maintained by Energy Matters Corporation, the Center’s Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) program subsequently ended.
Rodney Ries, a project manager for the Center’s Utility Energy Services Contracting Program, said the PPA program has run its course.
“This was the last PPA project awarded through the renewable and alternative energy Multiple Award Task Order Contract (MATOC) awarded by Huntsville Center in 2013,” Ries said.
The PPA Program’s MATOC vehicle provided for the long-term purchases of energy from renewable alternative energy production facilities that are on or near dozens of Department of War installations.
In 2023, Huntsville Center worked with the U.S. Army Garrison – Fort Carson to award the contract for a solar facility on Fort Carson designed, financed, constructed, operated and maintained by Energy Matters Corporation, a private sector energy company, Ries said.
The facility will generate approximately 19,700 megawatt hours (MWh) of on-site renewable energy annually.
The installation then purchases power from these facilities without acquiring any power generation assets, facilities or services costs.
Energy Matters Corporation, a certified small business, partnered with TotalEnergies to ensure compliance with federal procurement regulations for the Fort Carson project’s solar PV system.
The system was designed as micro-grid ready so it may be connected to a future micro-grid and thereby contribute to the overall energy security of the installation.
Under the PPA, the Army will only purchase the energy that is produced at the 47 -acres and provides on-site generation of enough energy to power about 1,650 homes a year.
All electricity from the solar photovoltaic (PV) facility will be purchased at a cost equal to or less than current power costs and consumed entirely by Fort Carson and includes a 29-year Renewable Energy Services Agreement and lease.
As part of the Huntsville Center program optimization review, Brig. Gen. Kirk Gibbs, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers deputy commanding general, signed a memo in July divest the program upon completion of the existing projects.
However, Rick Tellstrom, Installation Support and Programs Management deputy director, said divesting the program didn’t require any personnel movement as the program was supported by personnel under the Utility Energy Services Contracting Program.
“For new energy projects that could be candidates for a PPA and for USACE to do the work, the appropriate point of contact would be the specific USACE District or Regional office responsible for the geographic area,” Tellstrom said.
He said other agencies within the federal government can perform PPAs, such as Department of Energy, National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Government Services Agency.
By William Farrow