COLUMBUS, Ohio — The power of the sun is being harnessed to generate electricity at several National Guard facilities throughout the state, with plans to expand the use of alternative energy in the future.
Solar power has been a part of the Ohio National Guard's efforts to reduce energy consumption since 2009, when the first panels were installed at the 180th Fighter Wing, located at the Toledo Express Airport in Swanton. Since then, eight solar arrays have been added to the renewable energy efforts at other locations.
"We have a concerted effort to secure our facilities with alternative energy sources to meet or exceed state and federal mandates to reach renewable energy goals," said Maj. Gen. Mark E. Bartman, Ohio adjutant general."More importantly, though, we have an obligation to be good energy and environmental stewards."
The Ohio National Guard's conservation goals are influenced by mandates, such as the National Defense Authorization Act for federal fiscal year 2010, to ensure that 25 percent of total energy consumed comes from renewable energy by 2025 — a benchmark that's already been surpassed at 46 percent, according to Ronald Gooch, energy specialist for the Ohio Adjutant General's Department, who keeps a watchful eye on the figures.
"More than 1.9 million kilowatts of energy were produced from solar in the state fiscal year 2016 that ended in June, and there was a decrease in energy consumption of nearly 20 percent," Gooch said."We're conducting energy audits and assessing our mechanical equipment to find other ways to be energy efficient."
In addition to the Air National Guard base in Lucas County, the Ohio National Guard currently has solar production at these locations:
- Maj. Gen. Robert S. Beightler Armory, Columbus
- Camp Ravenna Joint Military Training Center, Portage County
- Maj. Gen. Gilson D. Light Armory, Walbridge
- Camp Perry Joint Training Center, Port Clinton
- Zanesville Air National Guard Base, Zanesville
- Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur Readiness Center, Toledo
An additional solar project is planned in fiscal year 2018 at the Congressman Clarence E. Miller Armory in McConnelsville.
According to National Guard Bureau statistics, there are 175 Army and Air Guard solar panel projects in the United States.