The Army garrison at Picatinny Arsenal recently received a $1.025 million energy savings incentive award from the New Jersey Clean Energy Program, which will be used for the installation phase of the 2-megawatt combined heat and power plant project.
The award is the second major grant at Picatinny Arsenal. In 2022, it received a $347,000 incentive award from the state energy program for implementing two energy conservation measures, or ECMs: LED lighting upgrades and steam pipe insulation replacement. This incentive is from New Jersey Clean Energy’s Large Energy User Program, for which Picatinny Arsenal qualifies for each year because annual total energy costs exceed $5 million.
Funding for the New Jersey Clean Energy Program comes from a 3% societal benefits charge that is included in the utility bills of all New Jersey customers. The charge is used solely for programs and services that benefit New Jersey residents, businesses, government entities, educational institutions and nonprofits to help them save energy, money and protect the environment.
At Picatinny, the current energy incentives are paying for energy conservation measures across the base. Those measures include lighting efficiency upgrades at 16 buildings, with the upgrade of 5,000 lighting fixtures to LED lighting, and boiler-burner efficiency upgrades at two centralized boilers that provide steam heat to four buildings. The combined estimated annual savings in energy and maintenance costs for these projects is $230,000.
Through continuous participation in the New Jersey Clean Energy Program, these two energy projects are eligible for future energy incentives of approximately $350,000. These incentives will fund new ECM projects for the Army to improve tenant quality of life and provide mission resilience throughout the base.
“Picatinny Arsenal’s persistent participation in the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities Large Energy User Program results in incentive payments help the garrison achieve utility cost containment,” Picatinny Arsenal Garrison Commander Lt. Col. Alexander Burgos said.
“By identifying these non-Army funding sources, our Energy Management Team continues to fund projects intended to reduce energy consumption. In addition, our Garrison (Department of Public Works) and tenants are developing increasingly efficient structures, thus conserving Army resources and reducing operating costs.”
