JULY 15, 2015, CAMP WILLIAMS, Utah – More than 3,900 solar panels nestled on the hillside south of Camp Williams were the backdrop for the Utah National Guard’s ribbon-cutting ceremony for its largest solar array project Tuesday at Camp Williams.
The four completed solar projects at Camp Williams are expected to generate 1.8 – 2 million kWh annually, generating a power equivalent of 160 average homes for one year, fulfilling approximately 23 percent of Camp Williams power requirements with clean, more affordable solar energy and cutting electricity costs while offsetting carbon emission along the Wasatch Front.
“We are very proud of this, and all of our green energy projects,” said Maj. Gen. Jeff Burton, the adjutant general. “We seek to be good stewards of ourprecious resources and will continue as an organization to seek innovativeways to conserve and reduce our footprint.”
The UTNG and the State of Utah are leading the way in increasing energy efficiency, reducing energy costs and improving the environment and air quality in Utah. This is an example of how renewable technology integratesinto the mission and values of an evolving domestic defense strategy.”
By harnessing Utah’s terrific solar assets, we save on energy now to better secure future resources and modernization for the missions our Soldiers and Airmen have pledged to support,” said Lt. Col. Mary Enges, judge advocate general. “These projects make good business sense for the Utah National Guard, for the State of Utah, and at end, for the security of our nation. Funding for the 10 strategic solar projects across Utah comes primarily fromresources outside of state funds. More than 90 percent of funding was sourced from earmarked competitive grants from the National Guard Bureau and Rocky Mountain Power utility incentives.
The UTNG will be able to generate approximately 4 million kilowatt hours of solar energy in 2016. These 10 projects will generate enough solar energy to power the equivalent of 330 average American homes.
Each solar array is to be in working operation with a completed net-metering agreement in place before the end of the year. The projects are located across Utah, four of which are located at Camp Williams. The remaining projects are located at the Draper Headquarters and armories in St. George, West Jordan and Blanding. The projects are estimated to save just under $12 million over the next 20 years based on a six-percent escalation in energy prices in Utah.