1

Contents

$1.9 Million Awarded for Federal 

Renewable Energy Projects in FY 1998. . . . . . . 1

Collecting Our Thoughts: 

Federal Energy Managers Partner 

in President Clinton's 

Million Solar Roofs Initiative . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Coming Up in January: energyNow . . . . . . . . . 2

Exhibition Illuminates Design Aspects 

of Solar Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Spotlight on Technology: 

Standard PV System Design 

Works for National Park. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

DOE Awards “PV Super ESPCs” . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Winter 1998 — Vol. 1, No. 3

A quarterly technical bulletin for Federal solar energy champions

Save

Solar with

T OF ENERGY

DEPARTMEN

U

E

NITED STAT S OFA

ERICA

M

U.S. Department of Energy

Federal Energy Management Program

In fiscal year 1998, Congress provided 

the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's)

Federal Energy Management Program

(FEMP) with $2.3 million in funding to 

identify and pursue opportunities to deploy

solar and other renewable energy technologies in the Federal sector. These technologies

can provide heat and electric power to government facilities without emitting carbon

dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and other greenhouse gases. Developing renewable energy

technologies also helps to create new jobs

and reduce the nation's need for imported

fuel.

FEMP issued a solicitation last year to

award approximately $1.9 million of the

funding to government agencies to help

them purchase solar systems and other

renewable energy equipment and hardware.

Eligible renewable energy technologies

included solar water heating, photovoltaics

(PV), ventilation air preheating (transpired

solar collectors or "solar walls"), passive

solar and daylighting systems, and wind

systems.

A panel of five FEMP reviewers then

independently evaluated and ranked

approximately 70 proposals, identifying 

26 for the 1998 awards (please see the 

list accompanying this article).

Successful proposers had to meet

several important criteria. For

example, their project had to be

cost effective, with a payback period of 10 years or less, as mandated

by Congress and Executive

Order 12902. In addition, project

funds had to be spent before

September 30, 1998, primarily on

solar and other renewable energy

system hardware. Proposers were

also awarded points for meeting

any of these additional criteria:

• Multiple, standardized solar 

or renewable energy systems

would be installed at more than one 

location.

• Energy conservation measures, as well 

as renewable energy systems, would be

included.

• System design, hardware, and vendors

were specified, and applicable Federal

agency approvals were obtained.

• The spending plan leveraged agency

resources with those of any Federal or

non-Federal partners in the project.

• The project could be replicated easily.

• The facility could be a showcase that

would help to educate and inform other

agencies about renewable energy.

The first criterion, which called for 

multiple, standardized solar systems, was

particularly of interest because of FEMP's

recent work with the General Services

Administration (GSA). This work involved

placing solar and other renewable energy

(Continued on p. 7)

$1.9 Million Awarded for Federal 

Renewable Energy Projects in FY 1998

02567001m

Solar power: The competitive edge!
2 Save with Solar Winter 1998 Vol. 1, No. 3

■ Collecting Our Thoughts

By Patrina Eiffert, Ph.D., Editor

It has been over a

year since President

Clinton committed

the Federal sector to

the long-term goal 

of 20,000 new solar

energy systems on

government roofs by

2010. As a near-term

goal, the Department

of Energy's Federal

Energy Management Program (FEMP) is

focusing on assisting agencies in their efforts

to install 2,000 systems by 2000. The good

news is that, in a preliminary count, Federal

energy managers have already installed 619

solar systems that meet the requirements of

the Million Solar Roofs Initiative (MSRI).

This preliminary count will be confirmed

when the national registry is in place early

next year.

The new solar systems include 7 for the

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration in the Department of

Commerce; 532 for the U.S. Navy and 3 for

the U.S. Air Force in the Department of

Defense; 2 for the Western Area Power

Administration in the Department of

Energy; 11 for the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and National

Park Service in the Department of Interior;

63 for the U.S. Coast Guard in the Department of Transportation; and 1 for the

Environmental Protection Agency. By technology, there are 608 solar hot water systems, 10 photovoltaic power systems, and

1 transpired solar collector (solar ventilation

air preheating). If you have installed a system that you think may not be included 

in the national count, please contact

Patrina_Eiffert@ nrel.gov as soon as possible.

Additional resources are coming on line

for renewable energy projects, including the

MSRI. All solar Technology-Specific Energy

Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) are

expected to be in place by the end of Spring

1999. In addition, FEMP is encouraging

agencies to use regional ESPCs for Million

Solar Roofs and other renewable energy 

projects by bundling systems with energy

conservation measures. Recent developments include these:

• The Photovoltaic Technology-Specific

ESPC has been awarded to two energy

service companies: HEC, Inc., of Natick,

Massachusetts, and CES/Way

International, Inc., of Houston, Texas. 

For more information, please see the

related article on page 6 of this issue and

contact Tatiana Strainic Muessel, DOE

FEMP, at 202-586-9230.

• The Solar Transpired Collectors Super

ESPC solicitation is in development, 

and the first delivery order has been 

identified.

• The Solar Thermal Super ESPC solicitation is in progress, and NREL is currently

Patrina Eiffert

Goal: 2000 Roofs by Year 2000

619

Federal Energy Managers Partner in

President Clinton's 

Million Solar Roofs Initiative

working to identify the first delivery

order. If you have a potential site for a

delivery order under this contract, please

contact Patrina_Eiffert@nrel.gov

The next steps in our strategic plan

include a focus by FEMP on MSRI partners

and communities to encourage Federal participation in the partnerships and accelerate

the implementation of cost-effective roofs 

in the communities. FEMP will be seeking

opportunities for cost-effective energy 

systems with the following nine MSRI partners: the states of Colorado, Hawaii, and

Washington; the Sacramento Municipal

Utility District and Los Angeles Department of Water and Power in California; the

Salt River Project and Tucson Electric Power

in Arizona; New England Electric Services;

and the Maryland Energy Administration.

New partnerships will be added in the next

few months. If you have facilities in these

areas and would like assistance in partnering with the MSRI, please let us know.

In other news, FEMP's first annual trade

show (Energy '98 — Breaking the Barriers)

emphasized practical results, user-oriented

information, and reports on how Federal

facilities take projects from conception to

completion. Topics included Super ESPCs,

Operation and Maintenance, Energy Awareness, Procurement, and Technologies. A

special session was held on Federal participation in the MSRI. This session covered

available technical and financial tools and

resources as well as Federal and privatesector partnerships, and several solar suppliers exhibited at the trade show. Energy

'99 is scheduled to be held in August 1999 in

Orlando, Florida, where a special session on

federal participation in the MSRI will be

convened. ■

Coming Up in January: Mark Your Calendar!

energyNow: The First Annual Mid-Atlantic Regional Energy Workshop, co-sponsored

by DOE, the Philadelphia Regional Support Office, FEMP, the GSA, and Washington

Gas, will focus on bringing local customers and suppliers together to make projects

happen. Workshop tracks include new technologies, deregulation, and both Federal

and non-Federal projects. Special events include a networking breakfast with utilities

and ESCOs, a tour of the energy-efficient MCI sports complex, and closing speech by

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

Location: Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Pentagon City, Arlington, VA

Dates: January 6-8, 1999

Contact: Matt Burdetsky, LTM, Inc., 703-207-1703

e-mail: matt@cmpinc.net
Save with Solar Winterl 1998 Vol. 1, No. 3 3

Members of the renewable energy community and thousands of other visitors were

able to view a special exhibition this year

titled “Under the Sun: An Outdoor Exhibition of Light.” The exhibition ran from 

June to November in New York City at

Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum,

Smithsonian Institution.

Held in an 18,000-square-foot terrace and

garden area at the museum, “Under the

Sun” had a particularly appropriate name

and setting, since the garden is bathed in

sunlight almost all day long. The exhibition

explored solar energy as a catalyst for both

practical and visionary design, and illuminated some of the ways in which design and

technology intersect. As the preservation of

our environment becomes increasingly more

important, solar energy technologies continue to suggest innovative solutions to serious

local and global energy problems. These are

some of the exhibition’s highlights:

• A solar clock and sundial formed by a

dozen chairs incorporating special lights

powered by photovoltaics

• Solar glass and solar tensile pavilions

• A Himawari (sunflower), a system for

bringing sunlight into a building, and a

solar fountain

• Solar products of the future, including a

solar lantern, a solar lawnmower, and a

solar-powered laptop computer.

The National Design Museum's galleries

are devoted to changing exhibitions that

examine issues of design as they relate to

daily life. These exhibitions present the

results of research and stimulate dialogue,

offering different perspectives on the creation and consequences of design. This particular exhibition was made possible by BP

Solar and by the U.S. Department of Energy,

with contributions from more than 20 additional organizations, companies, designers,

engineers, and advisors. If you missed

"Under the Sun" this year, the exhibition

should be presented again next year. A

four- or five-city tour is planned by the

Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition

Service (SITES). For more information, 

contact Sandra Narva, SITES, 202-357-3168,

ext. 126 (on the Internet, see

http://www.si.edu/ndm/exhib/sun).

Solar-Powered Fountain

Where there is no electric grid, or network of power lines, the sun is often the 

best and cheapest source of power. But even

at a distance of only several hundred feet

from a grid connection, solar energy can be

economical. Solar pumps, for example, are

effective, low-cost solutions to problems of

water delivery. A fountain in this exhibition

demonstrates on a small scale the potential

of solar-powered waterworks. This fountain’s design integrates solar electric or photovoltaic (PV) cells on a curved surface to

catch the changing angles of the Sun. The

custom design features specially sized, configured, and wired polycrystalline PV cells

encapsulated in clear urethane. Eight solar

arrays power the 12-volt pump and the

lights and charge the battery. The intensity

of the sunlight determines the fountain's

water flow. A visual display at the base of

the fountain shows the energy input from

the PV system, the load, or demand for

power, and the charge level of the battery.

Solar Glass Pavilion

The least expensive but not the most efficient PV material, thin-film photovoltaics is

still well suited for both new and existing

residential and commercial buildings. Thinfilm PV is produced by depositing extremely

thin layers of PV materials onto a glass or

metal surface. Fine laser-cut lines in glassbased PV create patterns of light. Opaque,

metal-based thin-film PV can be used for

roofing or siding. This versatile technology

can be used on glass and other solid 

(Continued on p. 6)

Exhibition Illuminates Design Aspects of Solar Technologies

By Lucy Fellowes, Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution

Solar-Powered Fountain

Design: Amelia Amon, Alt.Technica,

1998, New York, NY

Engineering: Kevin Conlin, Solarcraft

Inc., Stafford, TX

Materials: Photovoltaics, metal substrate,

and water

Photovoltaic cells: Kyocera America, 

San Diego, CA

Solar Modules: Photocomm, Inc.,

Scottsdale, AZ

Module Encapsulation: Development

Assoc., North Kingston, RI

Metal Works: Studio Dell'Arte, Brooklyn,

NY

Basin: Arcaseum, New York, NY

Shield: Atta Inc., New York, NY

Battery: East Penn Manufacturing, Lyon

Station, PA

Photo: Lucy Fellowes

Lucy Fellowes/PIX06861

Solar Glass Pavilion

Design: Gregory Kiss, Kiss & Cathcart

Architects, and Nicholas Goldsmith,

FAIA, FTL Happold Architects &

Engineers, New York, NY

Materials: Thin film Apollo® photovoltaic solar modules, glass

PV Manufacturer: BP Solar, Fairfield,

CA

Apollo® is a BP Solar registered 

trademark

Glass Pavilion made possible by BP

Solar

Photo: Bill Jacobson

Bill Jacobson/PIX06862
4 Save with Solar Winter 1998 Vol. 1, No. 3

■ Spotlight on Technology:

Standard PV System Design

Works for National Park

A prefabricated photovoltaic (PV) hybrid

power system is now operating in Volcanoes

National Park, Hawaii, and saving money,

thanks to the combined efforts of staff in the

National Park Service (NPS), Hawaii Electric

Light Company, Inc. (HELCo), and DOE’s

Federal Energy Management Program

(FEMP).

The PV-propane hybrid power system,

which has a payback period of less than six

years, was installed by HELCo staff at

Ainahu Ranch, a historic NPS site. Founded

in 1941, the ranch originally belonged to the

Shipman family, who ran it until the 1960s.

It eventually became a sanctuary for the

"nene," or Hawaiian goose, which the

Shipman family is credited for saving from

extinction. The landscaped grounds contain

many exotic trees and an extensive potable

water catchment and distribution system.

Purchased by Volcanoes National Park in

1972, the Ainahou Ranch facility is now

being restored. The facility will be used for

group retreats and for different environmental education programs.

Nick Heinrick, Maintenance Division of

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, said, "The

power provided by the photovoltaic system

is invaluable for the restoration and future

operation of the ranch. It is far superior to 

a diesel generator with all the inherent 

problems of noise, smell, safety, and transportation of fuel. The park service is very

grateful to NREL and HELCo for acquiring

the system for us."

The prefabricated, self-contained, portable energy shed procured for and installed

in Volcanoes National Park has a steel frame

permanently anchored in a concrete foundation. It is enclosed in a plywood structure

that supports and protects the PV power

system. The PV panels or modules are

mounted onto the roof of the structure, and

the roof is pitched approximately 30 degrees

to correspond with the angle of the winter

Hybrid PV-Propane System Specifications

The components of the standardized hybrid photovoltaic-propane system in Volcanoes National Park are as follows:

(1) One 900-peak-watt photovoltaic array consisting of 18 ASE Americas, Inc., 50-AL modules with DC peak current of

2.86 amps. Modules are paired in series to provide 24 volts DC.

(2) One Ananda Power Technologies, Inc. (APT) ‘Powercenter 4B’ charge controller that handles an array output up to

60 amps.

(3) One Trace Engineering Company, Inc., 4024 sine wave inverter supplying up to 4,000 watts continuously and handling

surges up to 16,000 watts. 

(4) Eight Trojan L-16 batteries wired in series to provide 24 volts and in parallel to provide a total of 700 amp-hours of

storage.

(5) One Onan 4.5-kilowatt backup generator, model # 4-5 BGDFB1L, integrated with the Trace inverter to provide a

maximum charge rate of 120 amps for the system’s batteries when operating. A fire extinguisher is mounted in the

generator compartment as a safety measure.

Materials used to connect the solar electric system to the facility’s electrical service include a ground rod, 250 feet of direct

burial cable containing three #2 wires and three # 12 wires, and 500 feet of direct burial telephone wire. The 8-foot

ground rod is connected to the grounding conductor. The #2 wires connect the system to the main electrical service. The

#12 wires are used in a relay switch unit so that the generator may be started from inside the facility. The direct burial

telephone wire will power the ‘Smart Light,’ a small LED instrument that can be mounted in a visible spot inside the

structure that instructs residents and guests about the status of the storage batteries and when to operate the back-up

generator.

Recommendations for Operation and Maintenance 

Maintenance and electrical staff at Volcanoes National Park participated in the installation of the solar electric system and

were given hands-on instructions on the care and maintenance of the system. Two manuals specifically written to address

operation and maintenance of the prefabricated integrated photovoltaic system were provided to park personnel, along

with manufacturers’ manuals and information on the separate components of the system. Construction details and electrical

schematics for the system are contained in the operations and maintenance manual. Specific instructions for park personnel

regarding operation and maintenance of the solar electric system were as follows:

(1) Provide regular maintenance for the backup generator and operate on a regular basis to prevent internal corrosion.

(2) Equalize the batteries approximately once a month when the solar electric system is being used on a regular basis.

(3) Add distilled water to the batteries every month or two using the semiautomatic single-point watering system

(Hydrocap Catalyst Battery Caps) installed in the battery only when the batteries are in a fully charged state.

(4) Keep the photovoltaic modules clean of dirt and debris.

(5) Lock the battery, generator and inverter compartments of the energy shed to prevent theft and tampering with the

equipment.

The following signs were laminated and provided to Volcanoes National Park staff for use at Ainahou Ranch:

(1) A simple diagram showing the integration of the specific components of a stand-alone PV system.

(2) A one-page explanation about how a PV system works and how to live with a solar system by practicing energy

conservation, using energy-efficient appliances, and switching fuels to meet the demand for energy.

(3) A color-coded instruction sheet, to be used with the ‘Smart Light’ indicator, that explains to users the appropriate

response to the information provided by the LED instrument. The sheet recommends that the smart light and remote start

switch for the generator be mounted in the same spot.

(4) A half-page sheet listing inappropriate loads and appliances that should be used only on a limited basis.

Hawaii Electric Light Co./PIX06854

Ainahou Ranch House

Hawaii Electric Light Co./PIX06857

Volcanoes National Park Staff (Wayne Rawls, Dick Rasp,

and Nick Heinrick) with solar energy shed
Save with Solar Winter 1998 Vol. 1, No. 3 5

sun in Hawaii. The shed is oriented nearly

due south, and it is placed where neither

plant growth nor buildings will interfere

with the sun’s path throughout the year. 

The integrated structure is built to withstand wind loads up to 120 miles per hour.

(Information for this article was provided by

Hawaii Electric Light Company, Inc.) ■

Hawaii Electric Light Co./PIX06853

Connection to main electrical service for Ainahou Ranch

House

Simple Payback Calculations

Ainahou Ranch is located approximately one mile from the Chain of Craters Road in Volcanoes National Park. The cost of a

utility line extension to the area would be more than $100,000, making this a cost-prohibitive option. Usage of the facility

will vary, but the calculations provided below are based on the assumption that a full-time caretaker will reside at the

facility and groups of 15–20 people will use the facility for a minimum of five days a month. 

The simple payback calculations assume that the alternative to PV for providing electricity to the facility would be a diesel

generator. To provide power equivalent to that provided by the proposed PV system, a diesel generator would need to run

an average of 40 hours a week.

For these payback calculations, the formula provided in Photovoltaic Systems for Government Agencies, a publication of

Sandia National Laboratories (SAND88-3149), was used. The formula is as follows:

Capital Cost of Solar System – Capital Cost of Other System Option 

First-Year Fuel O&M Cost of Other System – First-Year Fuel O&M Cost of Photovoltaic System = Simple Payback

PV System Simple Payback Calculation:

$26,500 –- $6,500 $20,000

(2080 hrs ✘ $1.80/gal.) – (150 hrs ✘ $2.40/gal. ✘ 3/4 gal.) = $3,474 = 5.75 years

Assumptions:

(1) Installed cost of a prefabricated PV system in a self-contained energy shed is $22,500.

(The energy shed will be equipped with a 900-watt PV array, APT charge controller, 4024 Trace SW inverter, and eight

Trojan L-16 batteries providing 700 amp-hours of storage. The energy shed contains a compartment to house the existing

back-up generator).

(2) The existing generator integrated into the portable solar energy shed is valued at $4,000.

(3) Estimated fuel consumption of a 5-kilowatt propane generator is 3/4 gallon per hour of run time.

(4) Estimated run time for the 5-kilowatt propane backup generator is approximately 150 hours per year.

(5) Estimated cost of propane is $2.40 per gallon. 

(6) Estimated cost of 6-kilowatt diesel generator is $6,000.

(7) Estimated cost of constructing a generator shed to house the diesel generator is $500.

(8) Estimated run time for a diesel generator is approximately 2080 hours per year.

(9) Estimated fuel consumption of a 6-kilowatt diesel generator is 1 gallon per hour of run time.

(10) Estimated cost of diesel is $1.80 per gallon.

(11) Estimated maintenance of the PV system in the first year, excluding generator operating costs, is $0.

Hawaii Electric Light Co./PIX06856

Energy shed being unloaded by the Manitex crane

Hawaii Electric Light Co./PIX06851

Propane generator compartment with installed exhaust

housing

Hawaii Electric Light Co./PIX06852

Inverter and charge controller

Hawaii Electric Light Co./PIX06855

Steve Burns, HELCo, and the inverter compartment of

the solar electric shed

Hawaii Electric Light Co./PIX06858

Solar energy shed being delivered along Ainahou Ranch

Road
6 Save with Solar Winter 1998 Vol. 1, No. 3

surfaces, and it is one of only a few renewable energy forms that can be integrated

into an urban environment. A glass-based

PV module can replace glass almost anywhere in a building. Modules can be part of

curtain walls, act as sunshades, or provide

overcladding. Semitransparent PV can also

be used in skylights to generate power

while transmitting light. Today, architectural

glass is coated with thin layers of metal or

pigments that filter or deflect light. The same

effect can be achieved, at comparable cost,

with photovoltaic glass. Recent developments in thin-film PV, such as more efficient

use of materials and large-scale production,

have enhanced its cost-effectiveness.

The glass pavilion in the exhibition typifies the state of the art in thin-film PV glass

for buildings. Here, PV modules are the

structure, enclosure, and power source. The

arrangement of clear and PV glass creates a

visual effect of light and dark. The Apollo®

thin-film PV modules and clear glass panes

are laminated in four-feet-square glass

sheets that form the pavilion's walls and

roofs. Metal plates connect the modules,

and the floors and reinforcing ribs are made

of clear laminated glass. The glass pavilion

generates enough electricity to power its

own ventilation system and night lighting.

It demonstrates the potential for buildings

that are not only shelters but also minipower stations, at times generating enough

power to export back to the grid. ■

Exhibition Illuminates Design Aspects of

Solar Technologies

(Continued from p. 3)

DOE Awards “PV Super ESPCs”

The Department of Energy recently

announced the award of Photovoltaic Power

System Technology-Specific Super Energy

Savings Performance Contracts (“PV Super

ESPCs”). They are managed out of DOE's

Golden Field Office and are worth up to 

$50 million. After a competitive solicitation,

DOE awarded these contracts to two energy

service companies (ESCOs). The contracts

were developed by DOE's Federal Energy

Management Program (FEMP) and are

based on DOE's Indefinite Quantity,

Indefinite Delivery (IDIQ) contracting.

Technology-Specific Super ESPC contracts make it easier for government agencies to reduce their energy costs and help

protect the environment by obtaining and

using solar and other renewable energy 

systems. These contracts stipulate that the

ESCO is responsible for the labor, materials,

equipment, and capital costs of the installed

system. In return for its investment, the

ESCO receives, for the term of the contract

(which can be up to 25 years), a negotiated

share of the agency's cost savings, which

result from lower energy bills at the installation site.

The PV Super ESPC contracts were

awarded to HEC, Inc., of Natick,

Massachusetts, and CES/Way International,

Inc., of Houston, Texas. These ESCOs and

their subcontractors were selected because of

their capabilities and experience in providing energy savings by installing PV and

associated energy systems. In delivery

orders written under the contracts, the cost

of the PV system must be at least 33% of the

total cost of the hardware and services supplied. The PV system must have some or all

of these components:

• PV modules that generate electricity for a

direct load; modules with battery storage;

or modules with battery storage and 

generator backup (the generator charges

the batteries)

• Controllers

• Engine generators or controls for interfacing the system with an engine generator

• Inverters and associated energy conservation technologies that reduce the energy

load.

Unlike Regional Super ESPCs, which

cover several different energy efficiency

measures and renewable energy systems in a

particular region, Technology-Specific Super

ESPCs focus on one particular technology

and are available to any Federal agency in

the nation and U.S. territories. The government can thus use its substantial buying

power to stimulate the growth of emerging

sustainable energy technologies such as 

photovoltaics.

For more information about the PV 

Super ESPCs, please see the October 1998

issue of FEMP Focus, or the DOE FEMP

Web site (http://www.eren.doe.gov/femp).

You may also contact Tatiana Strainic

Muessel, DOE FEMP, 202-586-9230, or your

DOE Regional Support Office:

Seattle RSO, Curtis Framel, 206-553-7841

Denver RSO, Randy Jones, 303-275-4814

Chicago RSO, Sharon Gill, 312-886-8573

Atlanta RSO, Dave Waldrop, 404-347-3483

Philadelphia RSO, Bill Klebous, 212-264-0691

Boston RSO, Paul King, 617-565-9712 ■

Lawrence Berkeley Lab/PIX01057

This PV skylight system is integrated into the main entry

of the Thoreau Center at Presidio National Park, in

California. It is the first integrated overhead glazing

system at a Federal facility.

You really can

change the world if

you care enough.

Marion Wright Edelman
Save with Solar Winter 1998 Vol. 1, No. 3 7

systems on the Federal Supply Schedule,

which allows Federal agencies to obtain 

systems virtually "off the shelf" through 

the GSA. It also helps to speed up the procurement and installation of renewables

throughout the government.

Here is a breakdown of the FY 1998 

project awards by technology:

• $653,000 for projects to install solar 

water heating systems 

• $558,500 for photovoltaic energy systems 

• $550,000 for wind energy systems 

(wind turbines)

• $150,600 for passive solar (daylighting)

systems

• $15,000 for solar ventilation preheating

systems (transpired solar collectors or

"solar walls").

FEMP has been reporting on these

FY 1998 projects as they are completed 

(see an article on Hawaii Volcanoes

National Park on page 4 of this newsletter).

Watch for news about another round of

awards in FY 1999 in upcoming issues of

FEMP Focus. For more information, contact

Nancy Carlisle, NREL, 303-384-7509

(Nancy_Carlisle@nrel.gov) or Patrina

Eiffert, 303-275-3066 (Patrina_Eiffert@

nrel.gov).■

$1.9 Million Awarded in FY 1998

(Continued from p. 1)

U.S. Navy, Dept. of Defense; Moanalua Terrace, Pearl

Harbor, HI: Solar systems for about 40 base housing

units. Project award: $130,000; estimated payback:

6.3 years.

U.S. Navy, Dept. of Defense; Pearl Harbor Naval

Shipyard, HI: Solar water heaters for two commercial

buildings, a laundry and an electronics shop. Project

award: $130,000; estimated payback: 2.8 years.

U.S. Navy, Dept. of Defense; San Clemente Island, CA:

Partial funding of a 550-kW wind turbine. Project award:

$550,000; estimated payback: 9.4 years.

U.S. Coast Guard, Dept. of Transportation; Kia'i Kai

Hale, HI: Solar water heating for 62 housing units. Project

award: $200,000; estimated payback: 8.8 years.

National Park Service, Dept. of Interior; Gulf Islands

National Seashore: PV system for remote island park.

Project award: $58,000; estimated payback: 6 years.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA);

DOE Atlanta Regional Support Office: Portable PV

equipment for use in disaster-relief situations. Project

award: $150,000; estimated payback: 7.7 years.

U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii, Dept. of Defense;

Schofield Barracks, HI: Passive daylighting systems for

five warehouses. Project award: $150,600; estimated

payback: 8 years.

National Park Service, Dept. of Interior; Lake

Roosevelt National Recreation Area, WA: Two PV systems

for boat ramp lighting. Project award: $5,000; estimated

payback: 6 months.

National Weather Service, National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration; Pacific Tsunami Warning

Center, Oahu, HI: Passive solar water heaters for six staff

residences. Project award: $23,000; estimated payback:

2.8 years.

Bureau of Land Management, Dept. of Interior; 

BLM campgrounds, UT: Eight small, portable PV power

systems for campground hosts and staff at small

administration sites. Project award: $64,000; estimated

payback: 1 year.

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Dept. of Interior;

Leadville, CO: Transpired solar collector ("solar wall") 

for Leadville Treatment Plant building. Project award:

$15,000; estimated payback: 6.9 years.

National Park Service, Dept. of Interior; Zion National

Park, UT: Two PV systems for ranger cabin lights, battery

charging, water pumping. Project award: $13,000;

estimated payback: 2.1 years.

National Park Service, Dept. of Interior; USS Arizona:

PV-powered parking lot lights for visitors to historic ship.

Project award: $57,000; estimated payback: 4.6 years.

U.S. Navy, Dept. of Defense; Navy Public Works Center,

Norfolk, VA: Solar heating system for Navy swimming

pool. Project award: $82,000; estimated payback:

3.6 years.

National Park Service, Dept. of Interior; Hawaii

Volcanoes National Park: One solar electric system for

historic buildings. Project award: $22,500; estimated

payback: 5.8 years.

National Park Service, Dept. of Interior; Grand

Canyon National Park, AZ: PV power systems for NPS

remote radio sites. Project award: $32,000; estimated

payback: 1 year.

U.S. Navy, Dept. of Defense; Naval Surface Warfare

Center, Dahlgren, VA: Solar water heating systems for

four buildings. Project award: $53,000; estimated

payback: 6.1 years.

National Park Service, Dept. of Interior; Rainbow

Point, Bryce Canyon National Park, UT: PV-powered water

pumping station. Project award: $11,000; estimated

payback: 1.2 years.

Forest Service, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture; Portable PV

generators for Forest Service use in fighting fires. Project

award: $43,000; estimated payback: 8.8 years.

Indian Health Service, Dept. of Health and Human

Services; Santa Fe, NM: Refurbish a large solar water

heater for IHS hospital (phase 1). $15,000.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Dept. of

Energy; NREL, Golden, CO: Solid-state ceramic PV path

lighting. Project award: $11,000; estimated payback:

9.7 years.

National Park Service, Dept. of Interior; Manti-LaSal

National Forest, UT: PV power systems for two remote

guard station lights and electrical needs. Project award:

$34,000; estimated payback: 10 years.

Indian Health Service, Dept. of Health and Human

Services; A-C-L Hospital, NE Sunrise Regional Treatment

Center, Albuquerque, NM: Solar-powered street lighting

for treatment center. Project award: $13,000; estimated

payback: 4.8 years.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; EPA Region

10 Manchester Lab Complex: One PV-powered UPS system

for laboratory. Project award: $12,000; estimated

payback: 2 years.

U.S. Army, Dept. of Defense; Camp Pendleton, CA:

Refurbish and retrofit solar pool heating systems at

training tanks. Project award: $20,000; estimated

payback: 9.9 years.

U.S. Marine Corps, Dept. of Defense; Marine Corps

Recruit Depot, Parris Island, SC: Solar-powered lights for

playground, parking lots, etc. Project award: $33,000;

estimated payback: 1.1 years. 

Federal Solar and Renewable Energy Projects Funded by

DOE FEMP in FY 1998

A Federal Energy Management

Program initiative,

You Have the Power

is designed to raise awareness of

energy efficiency in the Federal

sector. Find out more about it at

http://www.eren.doe.gov/femp
Save with Solar: A Quarterly 

Technical Bulletin for Federal Solar

Energy Champions

Patrina Eiffert, Editor

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

1617 Cole Blvd.

Golden, CO 80401-3393

(303) 275-3066

Production editor: Paula Pitchford

Graphic designer: Susan Sczepanski

Illustrator: Jim Leyshon

Produced for the 

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) 

Federal Energy Management Program 

by the National Renewable Energy 

Laboratory, a DOE national laboratory

DOE/GO-10098-684

November 1998

Printed with a renewable-source ink on 

paper containing at least 50% wastepaper,

including 20% postconsumer waste

FIRST CLASS MAIL

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

Permit No. 258

Golden, CO 80401

Save

Solar with

A 9.1-kilowatt photovoltaic hybrid energy system provides clean, quiet electricity for a U.S. Fish

and Wildlife Service installation on Farallon Island, which is 30 miles west of San Francisco,

California, and home to 6000 sea lions. The energy system, which was procured through the GSA

Supply Schedule, was designed by Applied Power Corporation to withstand the harsh, corrrosive

enviromental conditions of the seashore. The system provides three days' worth of backup power

for staff biologists and volunteers.

Applied Power Corporation/PIX06951

Applied Power Corporation/PIX06950

For More Information

FEMP Help Desk: 1-800-363-3732

Anne Sprunt Crawley

Technical Assistance Program Manager

Federal Energy Management Program

U.S. Department of Energy

1000 Independence Ave., S.W. 

Washington, DC 20585

(202) 586-1505