WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The solar plant will be located 60 miles west of Phoenix, Arizona, and will include more than 650,000 photovoltaic panels on ground-mounted, horizontal single-axis trackers, the release explained.
"The Department of the Navy, Western Area Power Administration, and Sempra US Gas and Power… [have agreed] to construct a 210 megawatt direct current solar facility to benefit 14… installations," the release read on Thursday.
The agreement is the largest purchase of renewable energy ever made by a federal entity, the US Navy said.
"Adding solar power to naval installations will help diversify the DON's shore energy portfolio and provide long-term cost stability, which ultimately contributes to the [Department of the Navy’s] energy security priorities."
In 2009, the US Congress mandated that the Department of Defense produce or procure 25 percent of total facility energy from renewable sources by 2025, with each service responsible for generating a portion of that renewable energy, the release noted.
