Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Steve Mellin, 6th Space Warning Squadron support officer, stands before two wind turbine power generators on Cape Cod Air Force Station, Mass., Sept. 11, 2014. The two wind turbines provide Cape Cod AFS with nearly 50 percent of their power needs and helps save the Air Force more than $600,000 annually. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Krystal Ardrey)140911-F-WT123-001
                        
                        
                        Steve Mellin, 6th Space Warning Squadron support officer, stands before two wind turbine power generators on Cape Cod Air Force Station, Mass., Sept. 11, 2014. The two wind turbines provide Cape Cod AFS with nearly 50 percent of their power needs and helps save the Air Force more than $600,000 annually. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Krystal Ardrey)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

AF wind turbine helps power missile warning radarPublished Sept. 26, 2014
                    
                    By Kevin Elliott
                    
                    
                    Air Force Civil Engineer Center Public Affairs
            **Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. (AFNS) --**A wind turbine at Cape Cod Air Force Station, part of Joint Base Cape Cod, Mass., is partially powering one of the largest ground-based missile warning radars in the United States.
The 6th Space Warning Squadron at Joint Base Cape Cod operates the Phased Array Warning System, named PAVE PAWS. The radar operates around the clock and has a 3,000-mile reach down the east coast and over the Atlantic Ocean.
Although its main purpose is to detect submarine-launched ballistic missiles, PAVE PAWS also tracks satellites in low-Earth orbit. To achieve this range, the radar requires massive amounts of energy, amounting to a $1.6 million annual electric bill.
"We are one of the largest energy consumers on the Cape," said Stephen Mellin, support officer for the squadron. "Most of the energy used on the site is directly related to the radar itself."
In an effort to reduce its energy intensity, the 6th SWS partnered with Air Force Space Command and the Air Force Civil Engineer Center to install two 1.68 megawatt wind turbines on the site.
"Cape Cod is a really good place to put wind turbines," Mellin said. "Our wind resources are some of the best in the country."
The energy produced by the turbines is sold directly to the local utility company and, in return, the 6th SWS receives energy credits back on its bill.
"In the first six months of operation, the project generated $668,068 in credits," said Fox Theriault, energy analyst at AFSPC. "When you look at this project and the money it is saving, the impact is huge. Projects like this help us achieve energy goals with visible savings."
The $8.5 million project was funded by the energy conservation investment program, a subset of the military construction program. ECIP was created to fund military projects that save or produce energy on military sites, thus reducing Department of Defense energy costs.
The payback period for the PAVE PAWS wind turbine is eight to10 years. The lifespan of the turbine is twice that.
"The wind turbines have a 20-year life expectancy," Mellin said. "So we're looking at half of their time up here being past the payback period."
The 6th SWS and AFSPC also worked with Cape Light Compact and the local utility company to complete a site energy audit in order to identify other energy-saving opportunities.
"We changed light bulbs from T12s to energy-efficient T8 bulbs, we put variable-frequency drives on our equipment to save energy, and even changed out the old exit signs with new LED signs," Mellin said.
"Space Command was the first in the Air Force to replace old technology parking and roadway light fixtures with new state-of-the-art LED fixtures," Theriault said.
"The 6th Space Warning Squadron was one of the recipients of these fixtures and the installation could not be happier. The fixtures have been 100-percent maintenance-free and provide much better lighting for the security personnel."
The effort has helped the 6th SWS achieve its energy goals.
"We conducted $300,000 worth of energy-efficiency upgrades that have saved more than $150,000 annually, which amounts to a two-year payback period, all at no cost to taxpayers," Theriault said.
Even with all of these successes, the 6th SWS is always looking for new ways to save energy.
"We are trying to be very proactive about energy savings, looking for whatever conservation measures we can find to do," Mellin said. "We're working prudently to save money for taxpayers."power 



missile warning radar 



PAVE PAW 



Cape Cod 



wind turbine Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                SecAF Kendall visits Bangor ANG Base
                    
                    Vice President Harris congratulates USAFA Class of ‘24
                    
                    Senate confirms Melissa Dalton as next Under Secretary of the Air Force
                    
                    ‘One Team, One Fight’: SecAF visits Keesler AFB
                    
                    SecAF Kendall experiences VISTA of future flight test at Edwards AFBInnovation
                AFSFC reaches final phase of fielding Model Defender gear
                    
                    Around the Air Force: PCS Allowances, Air Task Forces, All-Volunteer Force
                    
                    AFIMSC focuses I-WEPTAC topics on GPC solutions
                    
                    Optimizing AI, Air University hosts Artificial Intelligence Symposium
                    
                    AFIMSC tools deliver data-driven solutions across DAFMAJCOM News
                AFMC to expand AcqDemo workforce
                    
                    AFMC empowers small businesses for Air Force reoptimization
                    
                    Acquisition Instructor Course Class 25A open for nominations
                    
                    Air Guard leaders host 2024 Wing Leader Conference
                    
                    Referral bonuses aim to help fill mission-critical vacancies
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil