Presidio upgrades critical to defense language training mission
Solar panels cover the roof of the fitness center at Presidio of Monterey in Monterey, Calif., May 8, 2014. Answering the Army’s call for cleaner energy, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District installed the solar panels in 2012. The $1.7 million grid-tied system sends excess energy back to the grid and can draw power even during cloudy or winter months. The fitness center is the first facility at the Presidio to have a solar photovoltaic system; generating 600 megawatt-hours of electricity per year and reducing energy costs by nearly $70,000 annually. Presidio has a goal to be net zero energy by 2030, which means that the entire installation will produce as much energy over the course of a year that it consumes.(U.S. Army photo by Capt. Michael N. Meyer/Released)