Following California Governor Gavin Newsom’s Aug.31 executive order to increase energy supplies and reduce demand, the Navy intermittently operated locally-based ships off the grid, shifting them from pier-connected shore power to organic shipboard power in an effort to reduce electrical strain on the San Diego grid.
“The Navy remains committed to doing our part to alleviate strain on the electrical grid during emergencies,” said Rear Admiral Brad Rosen, Commander, Navy Region Southwest. “Our sailors and their families live and work throughout San Diego County; we are part of this community and have the same responsibility to reduce our consumption during these difficult times.”
Going into Labor Day weekend, the Navy committed to reducing its electric footprint in San Diego, keeping approximately 20 ships operating on their own power during peak energy use times, significantly reducing electrical strain on the San Diego grid. Based on preliminary data, the Navy in San Diego was able to reduce daily energy demand during peak hours by over 20 mega-watts (MW) on average, approximately equal to the electrical load of over 3,000 households per day.
The California Independent System Operator was expecting the electric demand on the system over the length of the extreme heat event to reach an unprecedented high of more than 52,000 MW, with a potential deficit in capacity (a new historic all-time high for the grid).
From Friday, through Tuesday over the holiday weekend, the Navy’s reduced demand contributed to grid stability in the San Diego metro area. These reductions aided in saving enough energy to help prevent rolling power outages throughout local neighborhoods.
The Navy has a long history of working closely with California, most notably through a partnership with the California Energy Commission (CEC) on energy resilience efforts. In December 2021, that partnership was reiterated by a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Honorable Meredith Berger, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and Environment, and David Hochschild, Chair, CEC, renewing Navy cooperation with the CEC for another five years. This MOU supports Navy and Marine Corps installation efforts to address energy resilience issues, climate initiatives, fossil fuel reduction, greenhouse gas reductions, water consumption, and alternative fuel vehicles.
“By creating partnerships with the local community and increasing energy efficiency at our Naval installations, we can reduce the strain on the electric grid and increase energy reliability for all,” said Berger. “As we continue to see hotter temperatures and increased wildfires and droughts in the region as a result of climate change we need to increase our resilience and reduce the threats. The Navy and Marine Corps value being part of the community in San Diego, we are proud of our energy leadership, and that creative contributions like this one help to ensure energy resilience for us all.”
Past joint projects between the Navy and the Energy Commission include a waterless cleaning process using CO2 for military gear; powering critical Navy facilities with renewables and energy storage; the Navy lease of 400-600 electric vehicles at installations in California; and developing and building fractal electric grids at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.
As California’s extreme heat events become annual occurrences, the Navy continues to partner with the CEC and other state agencies to conserve energy, move towards cleaner sources of energy year-round, and support our neighborhoods during emergencies.