LOS ANGELES - On Wednesday, May 20th U.S. E.P.A. Administrator Gina McCarthy will join Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar officials to present the 2015 E.P.A. Federal Green Challenge award for Energy. The base is being acknowledged for having the greatest percentage reduction in energy use nationally, cutting its fuel oil consumption by 98% in 2014 by building a new aircraft hangar which brought a natural gas system to the installation and eliminated the old diesel fuel system. A tour of the state-of-the-art green facilities will also be given, including a brand new Zinc Bromide Flow Battery for renewable energy storage to support energy security and cost savings through peak load reduction. The battery has 250KW/1 MWH capacity, and is 40 feet long, 10.5 feet tall and eight feet wide.
MCAS Miramar occupies 23,000 acres, most of which is rugged land used for training exercises. The base is located about 15 miles north of downtown San Diego and is home to approximately 10,000 service members and their families. MCAS Miramar is moving toward energy independence within the next 4 years by building a microgrid that can power the entire flight line with a combination of large scale onsite renewables and conventional generation.
The Federal Green Challenge is a national effort challenging federal agencies to lead by example in reducing the Federal Government's environmental impacts in 6 target areas: energy, water, waste, electronics, purchasing and transportation. The base had the greatest percentage reduction in energy use of over 400 Federal Green Challenge participants nationally.
WHO: Gina McCarthy, U.S. E.P.A. Administrator
Brigadier General Edward Banta, Marine Corps Commanding General, 2d Marine Logistics Group
Colonel John Farnam, Commanding Officer, MCAS Miramar
Federal Green Challenge Award, Tour of MCAS, zinc bromide flow battery
WHEN: Wednesday, May 20
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Arrival Time: 10:30 AM
Event Start Time: 11:00 AM
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** Tour starts immediately, please allow for extra time to park and check in. Please make sure you wear closed toe shoes
WHERE: Media will need to meet at the MCAS Miramar East Gate and will be escorted by a uniformed public affairs officer. (Directions below)
RSVP REQUIRED: Please RSVP to Nahal Mogharabi at [email protected] to gain necessary information for access to the base.
Directions to MCAS Miramar East Gate:
Travel on I-15 and take the "Miramar Way" exit off of I-15. This exit can be reached by either heading north or south while on that highway. (Please ensure you avoid the "Miramar Road" exit as that will take you to another gate). Once you get to the East Gate, please inform the guardsman that you are meeting public affairs.
