Dyess AFB to Deploy Energy-Saving Tech to Cut Energy Use, Costs

Dyess Air Force Base (AFB) is planning to deploy an occupancy-based energy management solution from Telkonet after a pilot program delivered run-time savings of more than 29 percent in 44 dormitory room units for one year. The base will spend $535,000 to install Telkonet SmartEnergy for an additional 844 dormitory rooms.

The Telkonent SmartEnergy technology is expected to significantly reduce the base’s energy consumption since heating and cooling comprise one of the largest in-building energy costs. Dyess AFB will implement Telkonet’s Recovery Time technology to conserve energy when military dormitory rooms are unused.

“We are implementing the SmartEnergy occupancy-based energy management system as part of our continuing energy efficiency initiatives and reaching new heights in cost reduction and reduced energy consumption,” said Tom Denslow, energy manager for the Dyess Base.

Dyess AFB, located in Abilene, Tex., is the home of all initial B-1B combat crew training, two combat squadrons, a weapons school and a B-1B test and evaluation squadron.

This is not Dyess AFB’s first energy savings project. As an example, in 2008, the base saved more than 160 million gallons of water and reduced energy consumption by 16.5 percent, saving more than $1 million. This earned Dyess AFB the 2009 Department of Energy’s Federal Energy and Water Management Award.

Dyess AFB also became the first Air Force aircraft to fly at supersonic speed using an alternate fuel in 2008.

Meanwhile, a U.S. Navy facility in Seal Beach, California, has completed a 190-kilowatt (kW) photovoltaic (PV) solar energy carport project, reports GetSolar.com.

The PV system, installed by Stronghold Engineering, is expected to produce more than 265,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of clean energy annually and save the base more than $30,500 annually in energy costs, according to the article.

Stronghold has installed two other solar energy systems at the Navy’s Seal Beach facility, totaling more than 2,000 solar panels and accounting for 6.5 percent of the facility’s energy needs, which is shy of the 7.5 percent needed to meet the 2005 Energy Policy Act, reports GetSolar.