State to add wind energy to power grid

John Buckner
Federal News Radio

The State Department is adding wind energy to the power-grid already in place, part of its new Energy Savings Agreement

The agency “is leading the government now in a public-private partnership to acquire clean, renewable energy in support of the President’s goal, to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions,” said Marguerite Coffey, director of Management Policy, Rightsizing and Innovation at a press conference Thursday.

Federal Prison Industries awarded the 20 year contract on behalf of the agency to renewable energy provider Constellation Energy.

Harry Mahar, director of the Office of Operations, Facilities Management at State, said the Federal Prison Industries’ contracting authority was vital to its greenhouse gas reducing measures.

“It was important to have a long duration procurement action so that these new renewable energy sites could be developed and put in production,” Mahar said.

The contract will help to power ten facilities on the east coast including the Harry S. Truman building and Colombia Plaza.

“We are asking for 45 percent of the electricity that we will be procuring to be from new renewable energy sources added to the grid,” Mahar said. “So it’s not entirely new green energy, it’s 45 percent of the capacity we are procuring.”

According to State’s estimates, after implementing the wind power, 55 percent of power will remain from the grid, 5 percent from solar and 40 percent from wind.

The inclusion of the new green energy is in addition to State’s work towards reducing their overall energy consumption.

John Buckner is an intern with Federal News Radio.

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