DoD installations include a wide array of buildings and facilities that support and enable mission-critical functions, including the production, deployment and maintenance of weapon systems, the training and mobilization of combat forces, and the direct support for combat operations. To power these missions, military bases typically rely on the commercial electric grid as their primary source of power with back-up power delivered by stand-alone diesel generators connected directly to buildings and facilities. In the face of the increasing frequency and severity of weather events and the growing threat of cyber-attack, this solution is proving insufficient to deliver reliable and resilient energy to mission-critical functions on our installations.

New technology and electrical-system designs promise improved energy resilience through increased system reliability, as well as greater flexibility in the control and delivery of power, wherever and whenever it’s needed. ESTCP is focusing investment in four main areas of opportunity: Electrical Infrastructure and Planning, Distributed Generation, Microgrids and Energy Storage.