Gulf Power completes three largest Department of Defense solar installations
Gulf Power recently completed the construction of the three largest combined solar facilities on Department of Defense property, which will provide 120 megawatts (MW) of power to three Navy and Air Force sites and the surrounding communities in Northwest Florida.
The portion of the Gulf Coast Solar Center on the Eglin Air Force Base has a capacity of 30 MW to, the Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola Naval Outlying Landing Field (NOLF) Saufley facility can provide 30 MW and NAS Whiting Field NOLF Holley can provide 40 MW.
Executives from Gulf Power and Coronal Energy, powered by Panasonic, the project’s developer, and officials from the U.S. Air Force and Navy celebrated the event with a Flip the Switch ceremony at Saufley.
“Adding clean, affordable energy to our energy grid through the innovative public-private partnership that enabled the completion of all three of the portfolio’s solar facilities is a proud accomplishment for Gulf Power, and a significant milestone for the local economy, our customers and the environment,” Gulf Power Chair, President and CEO Stan Connally said.
The project covers a total of approximately 940 acres, comprises 1.5 million solar panels and could avoid more than 3.5 million tons over 25 years.
“Considering the scale of the Gulf Coast Solar Center portfolio, collaboration between our team and the like-minded teams at the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and Gulf Power has been an essential element of our success in developing these projects,” Jonathan Jaffrey, chair and CEO of Coronal Energy, said. “The result is a landmark energy project that represents what is possible when our nation’s military and its leading energy companies like Gulf Power commit to renewables. We are honored to take our place alongside these partners for this historic project.”
