Fort Buchanan to Implement Renewable Energy to Address Energy Needs
Fort Buchanan, one of the most important installations of the United States Army in the Caribbean, faced significant challenges after Hurricane Maria hit in 2017. The base was without electricity service for about a month, and during the emergency, they had to rely on generators that needed to be shut down every 10 hours for refueling.
The lack of electricity made it difficult to provide services to the more than 15 thousand soldiers and their families living in Puerto Rico, as well as the 130,000 veterans, retirees, civilians, and military personnel in the region. In response to this situation, the base has launched a project to increase its own energy production through renewable sources and establish its own microgrid. This effort aims to comply with new public policy from the Department of Defense and prevent situations like those caused by Hurricane Maria.
In addition to renewable energy, Fort Buchanan has installed rainwater collection systems to sustain the operation of 17 critical buildings within the base. The installation includes tanks with a capacity of up to 2,500 gallons, depending on the building’s size, connected to systems for filtration and water processing.
The base also plans to install more efficient portable energy generators and backup batteries, with the goal of meeting energy needs during emergencies for a minimum of 14 days. By investing $52 million allocated by the Department of Defense for this fiscal year, the base aims to generate 6.4 megawatts of energy, which represents over 60% of the fort’s annual energy demand.
Renewable energy initiatives at Fort Buchanan aim to increase the security of the base and reduce its dependence on public energy and drinking water systems. The project, designed by the Army Corps of Engineers, is expected to be completed by the summer of next year. Fort Buchanan aims to be resilient and provide a service to the people by having more resources available.
The military base houses several units, including the 1st Mission Support Command, the main tenant unit of the US Army Reserve, the Joint Forces Headquarters of the PR National Guard, the Operational Support Center of the Navy, Landing Support Company, and the Combat Logistics Regiment 45.