Renewable energy and storage implementation in Naval Station Pearl Harbor

Abstract

The purpose of this project is to examine the feasibility and cost effectiveness of liquid air energy storage and microgrid options to meet power demand aboard Naval Station Pearl Harbor. This infrastructure serves multiple Navy objectives, including providing standalone power support to endure emergency situations, providing pierside power for Navy vessels, enhancing the Navy’s cost savings from the proposed utility scale West Loch solar PV project, and helping to meet the Navy’s and Hawaii’s renewable energy goals in accordance with Department of Defense mandates and Navy-stated objectives for energy self-sufficiency and the goals of the Hawaiian Clean Energy Initiative. The results indicate that, in grid-tied operation, a solar PV alone is the option with the highest financial net present value. Microturbines are the least-cost option to assure backup power in the event of a grid outage. The microgrid model in this study does not account for the possibility of using demand management to minimize power bills. Storage coupled with the proper control equipment and algorithms for demand management could improve its NPV by accounting for savings from arbitrage. This analysis will assist the Commander Navy Region Hawaii to determine specific actions to provide energy resiliency and self-sufficiency at Pearl Harbor.