www.industry-asia-pacific.com
03
'23
Written on Modified on
Schneider Electric News
SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC AND U.S. AIR FORCE ENHANCE ENERGY RESILIENCE AND MISSION READINESS IN CRITICAL ASIA-PACIFIC REGION
The $406 million infrastructure improvement project modernizes energy resilience systems and enhances national security at Yokota Air Base in Japan.
Located 28 miles from downtown Tokyo, Yokota Air Base is a critical hub for U.S. military operations in the Pacific, enabling rapid response across the Indo-Pacific region and bolstering capabilities for the U.S. and its allies in the region. This project helps Yokota Air Base in supporting U.S. strategic priorities in an ever-evolving landscape of geopolitical challenges, and potential grid disruptions due to extreme weather in the Asia-Pacific region.
Financed through a 25-year self-funding energy savings performance contract (ESPC) with Schneider Electric, the Yokota Air Base project is one of the largest, most comprehensive resilience-focused performance contracts undertaken by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to date and will require no upfront investment from the base or from U.S. taxpayers. In total, the project is expected to reduce the base's energy and water costs by 29.3%, saving $12.3 million per year. In fact, Yokota Air Base will conserve more than 30 million gallons of water, 75 million kWh of electricity, and 33,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. The energy savings generated will cover the $406 million cost of improvements over the contract lifecycle.
Yokota Air Base selected Schneider Electric as the development, implementation, and long-term support provider for the project. Schneider Electric worked closely with Yokota Air Base’s leadership to build a holistic, modernized energy solution that creates an umbrella of resiliency across the base. This includes:
- A new 10.72 MW combined heat and power (CHP) plant controlled by EcoStruxure Process Expert software serves as a base-wide alternative source of prime power, ensuring continuous operation during outages.
- A sophisticated microgrid with EcoStruxure Power Automation supports critical buildings and primary transmission lines, enabling Yokota Air Base to island from the utility grid and provide continuous operations of electric and thermal loads during emergencies or power disruptions. Under normal operating conditions, the intelligent microgrid controls optimize power demand across the base, maximize energy savings, and maintain uninterrupted functions.
- Upgraded energy management control system offers a consolidated view of mechanical, electrical, and building systems across the base with more functionality and capability for optimized operation.
- Upgrades to more than 450 buildings dramatically reduce energy and water consumption through base-wide central plant improvements, interior and exterior light-emitting diode (LED) lighting upgrades, and water conservation measures.
- Long-term, on-site support and training ensures project success and proactive operations, maintenance, repair, and replacement services of installed infrastructure throughout the contract term.
A long-standing partner with the DoD, Schneider Electric has executed several large-scale resilience projects, including six ESPCs with the U.S. Air Force over the last five years. These projects support the U.S. Armed Services’ overall objectives to improve mission readiness and reduce energy usage worldwide.
