Ameresco Awarded 6-MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) at U.S. Army’s Fort Detrick Base

Addition of microgrid-ready system designed to provide annual utility cost savings of $125,000

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. & FORT DETRICK, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ameresco, Inc., (NYSE: AMRC), a leading cleantech integrator specializing in energy efficiency and renewable energy, today announced that the U.S. Army has awarded its Federal Solutions Group a contract to add a comprehensive battery energy storage system (BESS) to the existing 18.6 megawatt (MW) direct current (15.0 MW alternating current) solar renewable energy facility at the Fort Detrick Army Garrison in Frederick, Maryland.

In partnership with DLA Energy, Ameresco will deploy a 6 MW / 6 MWh BESS on the 67-acre facility. The BESS will be operated as a demand response asset and will provide frequency regulation services to the PJM-Independent System Operator. Additionally, the installed system will be microgrid-ready, allowing for future resiliency functions at the Garrison. The BESS is designed to provide guaranteed utility cost savings of $125,000 annually to the Government.

“We have been working with Ameresco to continually reduce our facilities’ fossil-fuel energy consumption and ensure greener environmental strategies for years to come,” said Garrison Commander Col. Danford Bryant. “This is a great project and an excellent example of collaboration to support both the Army and the community,” said Bryant.

“The new BESS aligns with the Army’s Installation Energy and Water Strategic Plan to provide resilient, efficient and affordable energy on our installations,” said Mr. Paul Farnan, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment. “It is designed to help reach future resiliency goals, and directly aligns with the Army Installations Strategy and the Army Climate Strategy,” said Farnan.

Ameresco’s relationship with the Fort Detrick Army Garrison dates back to 2015 when it was awarded a 26-year Renewable Energy Supply Agreement (RESA) and site lease to design, build, finance, and operate and maintain the 18.6 MW-dc solar renewable energy generation system (REGS). The solar field, which includes 59,994 solar panels, nine central inverters and transformers, and medium-voltage overhead and underground electric distribution, was completed in 2016, one month ahead of schedule. It currently serves approximately 12 percent of Fort Detrick’s annual electric load requirements.

“We commend the Army for taking yet another step to improve their energy infrastructure through battery energy storage technologies at Fort Detrick,” said Nicole Bulgarino, Executive Vice President, Ameresco. “This installation ties in the renewable energy generation from the existing solar arrays to a system that will allow the base to be microgrid-ready, ultimately creating a more resilient and future-energy ready base.”

Project completion is scheduled for early 2023.

To learn more about the renewable energy, resiliency, and energy efficiency solutions offered by Ameresco, visit www.ameresco.com/renewable-energy/.

About Ameresco, Inc.
Founded in 2000, Ameresco, Inc. (NYSE:AMRC) is a leading cleantech integrator and renewable energy asset developer, owner and operator. Our comprehensive portfolio includes energy efficiency, infrastructure upgrades, asset sustainability and renewable energy solutions delivered to clients throughout North America and Europe. Ameresco’s sustainability services in support of clients’ pursuit of Net Zero include upgrades to a facility’s energy infrastructure and the development, construction, and operation of distributed energy resources. Ameresco has successfully completed energy saving, environmentally responsible projects with Federal, state and local governments, healthcare and educational institutions, housing authorities, and commercial and industrial customers. With its corporate headquarters in Framingham, MA, Ameresco has more than 1,000 employees providing local expertise in the United States, Canada, and Europe. For more information, visit www.ameresco.com.

About Fort Detrick
Originally known as Detrick Field, it operated as an emergency airfield on the route between Cleveland and Washington, DC until 1938. During World War II (WWII), Camp Detrick became the site of biological warfare research. After WWII, the post was re-designated as Fort Detrick with a mandate to continue biological research and remain the world’s leading research campus for biological agents that require special containment.

About the Army Office of Energy Initiatives (OEI)
The OEI, under the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment, serves as the Army’s central program management office for the development, implementation, and oversight of privately financed, large-scale, energy projects focused on enhancing energy resilience on Army installations.

About United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has approximately 37,000 dedicated Civilians and Soldiers delivering engineering services to customers in more than 130 countries worldwide. With environmental sustainability as a guiding principle, our disciplined Corps team is working diligently to strengthen our Nation’s security by building and maintaining America’s infrastructure and providing military facilities where our servicemembers train, work and live. We are also researching and developing technology for our war fighters while protecting America’s interests abroad by using our engineering expertise to promote stability and improve quality of life.

About DLA Energy
The Defense Logistics Agency Energy’s mission is to enable mission readiness by providing globally resilient energy solutions to the Warfighter and Whole of Government. DLA Energy is organized to work with customers and suppliers to accomplish all areas of its mission. DLA Energy Installation Energy Division provides acquisition support for facility energy commodities and services including coal, natural gas, electricity, renewable energy, energy savings performance contracts and long-term renewable energy project development. The business unit also serves as coordinator and facilitator for the DOD’s participation in electricity demand response programs and is the centralized program manager for DOD’s Natural Gas Program.

The announcement of an energy asset award is not necessarily indicative of the timing or amount of revenue from such award, of the company’s overall revenue for any particular period or of trends in the company’s overall total assets in development or operation. This project was included in our previously reported assets in development as of March 31, 2022.