Pentagon to get rooftop solar panels as part of federal energy-conservation push

Rooftop solar panels will be installed on the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, as part of a Department of Energy (DOE) initiative to advance clean energy and energy conservation at federal facilities.

The DOE this week announced $104 million for net-zero projects at 31 federal facilities, including installing LED lights and occupancy sensors at the Department of Transportation’s headquarters and retrofitting HVAC systems at multiple buildings.

The funding is part of the Assisting Federal Facilities with Energy Conservation Technologies (AFFECT) program, which focuses on reducing energy consumption through initiatives such as building electrification, geothermal heat pumps, on-site solar generation and battery energy storage.

“The Federal Government is the nation’s largest consumer of energy, and conserving as much power as possible in our buildings and vehicle fleets benefits taxpayers and bolsters our national security,” Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm said in a statement.

In addition to rooftop solar panels, a heat-recovery heat pump system and solar thermal panels will be installed at the Pentagon. The goal is to reduce the facility’s reliance on natural gas and fuel oil combustion systems, the DOE said.

The AFFECT program is managed by DOE’s Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP), which provides funding to federal agencies to meet energy- and water-related goals.

In the first year, the 31 projects are projected to save more than $29 million in energy and water costs, remove greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking 23,042 gasoline-powered vehicles off the road, and reduce energy usage by the equivalent of 29,662 homes’ annual electricity consumption, the DOE said.

FEMP will begin accepting applications for Phase 2 this month. It will be open to federal agencies, private sector organizations and utilities.

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