The U.S. Army’s Fort Bragg will soon become home to the largest floating solar plant in the southeastern United States, Kallanish Energy reports.
The military complex in North Carolina will be getting a 1.1-megawatt system under a contract awarded to Duke Energy.
It was awarded a Utility Energy Service Contract for the project.
The $36 million contract will focus on energy resiliency and security at Fort Bragg including infrastructure modernization.
Ameresco, Duke Energy’s prime contractor, will build the floating solar PV system on the Big Muddy Lake at Camp Mackall, part of the Fort Bragg complex.
The floating solar will be paired with a 2-megawatt battery storage system to supplement the power that the military camp gets from the local grid and to provide backup power.
Fort Bragg with its 50,000 military personnel will own and operate the system once construction is completed.
Work is scheduled to begin in November.
Globally, floating solar provides about 1% to 2% of solar capacity.
The U.S. has an estimated 24,000 man-made reservoirs where floating solar could be developed.