DVIDS – Information – Fort Knox vitality program engaged on two groundbreaking initiatives for 2023, past

FORT KNOX, Ky. — Not one for counting on previous successes, the award-winning Vitality Program supervisor at Fort Knox’s Directorate of Public Works continues to develop plans for higher vitality independence within the coming years.

R.J. Dyrdek has spearheaded a variety of vitality initiatives up to now a number of years which have garnered reward up the ranks, together with on the departments of Protection and Vitality in addition to the non-public sector. He’s at it once more with two new initiatives that, if accredited, will enable Fort Knox to generate vitality impartial of out of doors sources.

“We’re very occupied with pure gasoline gas cells,” stated Dyrdek.

In the intervening time the set up is able to producing vitality at 100% as much as 14 days, then at about 85% past that. Dyrdek stated gas cells would give the put up limitless independence.

“At the moment after we run previous the 14-day interval, and if we didn’t have exterior energy, we’d must restrict some issues as a result of if it was chilly climate or extraordinarily scorching climate, the diesel [generators] must run,” he stated. “Within the different months they don’t must run, however the load that we purchase from the utility firm is what they name ‘base load,’ and what the gas cells have the luxurious of doing is constantly working.”

That course of works by feeding the cells with pure gasoline that produces water as a byproduct, stated Dyrdek. The cells create electrical energy by way of an electro-chemical association, which then supplies for a gradual output of vitality.

Pure gasoline then is used to generate electrical energy, and the heated water, which is the byproduct, is used to make scorching and chilled water for the power. That electrical energy runs the water remedy plant, the wastewater plant, and energy within the all of the buildings, ranges and substations.

“All of it pyramids again to 1 factor,” stated Dyrdek; “pure gasoline — the lynchpin, and we use it in a different way than all people.”

Gasoline cells activate the pyramid, based on Dyrdek.

“It’s like at your own home while you use a diesel generator, in case you might load that as much as its very highest, it could run clean the entire time,” stated Dyrdek. “The gas cells wish to run nonstop.”

In 2019, after the vitality program earned Fort Knox two Military-level awards, Dyrdek highlighted the development of an infinite Microsoft Company headquarters in California that included gas cells for instance of what they’re able to.

“They’re powering your complete construction with gas cells, so it’s an actual rising expertise that may take away our base load,” stated Dyrdek at the moment.

Just lately, Dyrdek famous the distinction gas cells provide in contrast with different types of renewable vitality.

“We don’t have 100% wind 100% of the time; you could have it when it’s windy,” stated Dyrdek. “Identical factor with photo voltaic. You might have it when the solar’s up and out so long as there are not any clouds or hassle. The management side of gas cells is completely matched to our remaining utility that we buy from exterior sources.”

There are two gas cell merchandise that Fort Knox is buying: the 6.6-megawatt model would lower the baseload in half; the 12.2-megawatt would eradicate the utility dependence altogether.

“That second one is the one we’re pushing for,” stated Dyrdek, who was set to fulfill with Military leaders about it in mid-December 2022. “It’s the best reply, and it’s an entire reply.”

If they’re profitable in getting the 12.2-megawatt model, Fort Knox would turn into the primary within the DOD to function indefinitely impartial of exterior energy.

The opposite huge initiative they deliberate to pitch to Military leaders on the similar assembly is for pure gasoline storage services. The services will help Fort Knox with vitality prices in each instructions. They’ll function a holding facility for the set up’s personal pure gasoline manufacturing, and as storage when leaders buy gasoline from exterior sources.

“The marketplace for pure gasoline goes up and down all year long,” stated Dyrdek. “In the midst of the summer time, the gasoline is pretty low cost. Within the useless of February when it’s minus 10, it’s fairly costly.

“So, if we might purchase a big quantity of it within the summertime and put it in storage so we might use it when it’s costly within the wintertime and we might simply have loads of our personal gasoline on web site in storage, then once more we wouldn’t want exterior utilities for something.”

The flexibility to buy pure gasoline, electrical energy and water from exterior sources will stays in place as a part of the backup plan, as do the prevailing diesel mills and photo voltaic arrays. That pyramid, if the Military agrees to fund the gas cell and storage initiatives, will preserve Fort Knox on the forefront of vitality resilience.

“Would I put pure gasoline on the prime of that pyramid?” stated Dyrdek — “Sure.”