Navy, California Energy Commission move forward on electric vehicle pilot programs

SAN DIEGO – The California Energy Commission recently approved nearly $2 million for electrification programs at Navy and Marine Corps installations in California.

At their business meeting Jan. 25, the CEC approved funding for the Navy Electric Vehicle Pilot Program ($414,000) and the Electrification Blueprint Studies ($1,500,000) for three Navy and three Marine Corps installations. This is the first execution of projects that the Navy began working on with the CEC following a Memorandum of Understanding signing in December 2021.

“We’re excited to be moving forward with these critical energy projects at Navy bases throughout the Southwest,” said Rear Adm. Brad Rosen, commander of Navy Region Southwest. “Our partnership with the California Energy Commission is unique to the Navy, and this forward momentum can only increase the chances of similar partnerships becoming available in the future.”

The Navy programs receiving this critical funding are:
• Defense Innovation Unit Electric Vehicle Pilot: The CEC funds will be used to procure and install 10 Level 2 and four Level 3 chargers at Naval Base San Diego for charging personal and government vehicles. The Navy will measure uptime, usage, duty cycle, vehicle types, ratio of government to personal vehicles, and max charging power

• Electrification Blueprints: Electrification Blueprints will be created for three installations chosen by Navy Region Southwest and three installations chosen by Marine Corps Installations West: Naval Base San Diego, Naval Base Ventura County, Naval Air Station Lemoore, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and Marine Corp Air Ground Combat Center 29 Palms.
o This project will develop specific transportation electrification blueprints for each selected base, to support the transportation electrification requirements of their civilian and military workforce.

o The blueprint will provide quantitative analysis cost benefit analysis of leveraging innovative technologies in the electrification of transportation infrastructure, particularly those related to vehicle-to-grid integration (VGI) and EVSE to grid.

In December 2021, the Navy and the CEC agreed to conduct monthly conference calls, semi-annual in-person meetings to discuss energy and water related issues, utilize working groups to review open issues, and foster collaboration on mutual interest items in support of each organization’s respective goals.

“Energy is critical to the nation and to the Navy,” Rosen said, “and we are pursuing a deliberate energy strategy to reduce our vulnerability in partnership with the CEC.”

For more information on the Navy’s energy conservation efforts, please call Brian O’Rourke, Navy Region Southwest, at (619) 985-3725, or email brian.k.orourke.civ@us.navy.mil.