UNITED STATES -- This past month, energy and water management experts from across the federal government gathered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to present the Federal Energy and Water Management Awards to the most forward-thinking individuals and projects across the government. Among the awardees were three teams from the Marine Corps – groups from Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp Lejeune, Marine Corps Installations Command (MCICOM), and Marine Corps Logistics Base (MCLB) Albany – who demonstrated groundbreaking methods for increasing energy resilience in unique, cost-effective ways.
From developing a new microgrid at MCB Camp Lejeune, to MCICOM speedily acquiring and rolling out new electric vehicle (EV) chargers across regions and installations, to establishing the first Net Zero installation in the DoD at MCLB Albany, Marines are leading the way in developing new, creative ways to strengthen energy resilience on installations.
Increasing the share of battery-powered vehicles in the Marine Corps fleet reduces reliance on fossil fuels and provides additional ways to diversify how installations generate and store electricity. In fiscal year 2024, MCICOM ordered a total of 200 zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), a 270% increase in just two years. This acquisition puts the number of ZEVs in the Marine Corps fleet at 290, a number that will only increase approaching the federally mandated deadlines of 100% ZEV acquisition for light-duty vehicles by 2027 and all vehicles by 2035.
Every year, Marines are cutting ribbons on new vehicle chargers, adding to the charging ports that are available on almost every Marine Corps installation in the U.S. At the end of 2021, the Marine Corps procured 21 rapidly deployable, solar-powered charging stations as part of the Beam EV Autonomous Renewable Charger program. Additionally, MCB Camp Pendleton recently added 12 new charging ports and replaced 61 existing malfunctioning ports, including four level 3 DC fast charging ports, through a partnership with the Defense Innovation Unit.
The three projects recognized as 2023 Federal Energy and Water Management Award winners along with the many other energy resilience initiatives across the service allow Marines to continue operating even if regional electric infrastructure goes down. When paired with the increased adoption of efficient EVs, these innovations demonstrate a Marine Corps that is fast approaching a future where installations can be completely self-sufficient in the event of disaster or blackout.
This work is just the start. MCICOM set a target to have more than 99% backup power availability for key mission critical facilities by 2030, with 14 days of off-grid capability for mission critical facilities by 2035, the same year of the federal target for a 100% ZEV fleet. In total, MCICOM expects 254 EV charging ports to be online by the end of fiscal year 2024 and 654 chargers online by the end of 2025.
Marines have never been the type to rest on past successes or methods, and an increasingly complex strategic environment means the Corps can’t wait for new technologies to become available and affordable. Marines are moving with all speed towards this future where force readiness, lethality, and effectiveness is more secure, thanks in part to more resilient energy networks.
To learn more about MCICOM, visit https://www.mcicom.marines.mil/.