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29 Aug 13. US Army awards second MATOC technology contracts. The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has issued second technology contract under the $7bn multiple award task order contracts (MATOC) programme, which seeks renewable and alternative energy power production at all Department of Defense (DoD) installations. Awarded in collaboration with the Army Engineering and Support Center and Army Energy Initiatives Task Force (EITF) to 22 companies, the contract seeks a supply of solar technology. Recipients include Acciona Energy North America, Apex Wind Energy, Borrego Solar, Cobra Industrial Services, Dominion Energy, Element Power US, Emerald Infrastructure, Enel Green Power North America, Energy Matters, Gehrlicher Solar America and Johnson Controls Government Systems. Lend Lease, LTC Federal, New Generation Power, NRG Energy, Photon Finance, Siemens Government Technologies, Silverado Power, Solar Power Ventures, Standard Solar, Sunpower and Washington Gas Energy Systems are the other awardees. EITF executive director John Lushetsky said the MATOC represents a important step forward in the acquisition of renewable energy for the army and other services that will reduce timelines by accelerating procurement processes. US Army Engineering and Support Center commander colonel, Robert Ruch, said, “By pre-qualifying companies under each technology and awarding the contracts to them, we are situated to more quickly award task orders for individual future projects being developed by the army or DoD.” The latest contract enables recipients to compete for future projects within their approved technology area for any renewable energy task order issued under the MATOC by the army or DoD. The indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) MATOC contracts will be used for the acquisition of reliable, locally generated, renewable and alternative energy through power purchase agreements (PPA) over the next 30 years. The contracts move army closer to meeting the US Congress-mandated energy goal of 25% production and consumption of energy from renewable sources by 2025, while also enhancing the installation energy security and sustainability. First contract for geothermal energy was awarded in May, whereas the remaining technologies, including wind and biomass, are scheduled to be awarded by the end of 2013. (Source: army-technology.com)
21 Aug 13. USAF evaluates new fuel saving flying technique. The US Air Force (USAF) Air Mobility Command (AMC) has conducted the surfing aircraft vortices for energy ($AVE) programme flight tests using two C-17 Globemaster III aircraft to validate its ability to reduce annual fuel costs. Carried out from Edwards Air Force Base in California, to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, and back, the tests involved one C-17 trailing directly behind another to recapture energy that would otherwise be lost, which eventually lowers its fuel consumption. Representing follow-on tests from the October 2012 test flights at Edwards AFB, the latest trials, featuring an actual operational mission, including night time flying sorties, assure the air force fuel savings of up to $10m a year. Air Force Research Laboratory $AVE programme manager Bill Blake said the aircraft performed in-flight rendezvous, day and night operations, and also flew several hours in each direction in $AVE formation.
“With only minor changes, we were able to attain double-digit fuel savings, which exceeded what we measured during our 2012 proof-of-concept test,” Blake said.
Air Mobility Command chief scientist Dr Donald Erbschloe said the C-17’s autopilot can sustain $AVE position at safe distances ranging from 3,000ft – 6,00