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Ameresco has contracted LS Energy Solutions to supply a 6 MW/6 MWh lithium-ion battery storage system to be paired with an existing 18 MW solar PV system at the Fort Detrick Army Garrison in Maryland.

The system will be microgrid-ready and is expected to come online in early 2023. The system has a 20-year operating lifetime, according to LS Energy.

The paired solar+storage system will participate in frequency regulation, demand response, and energy supply markets within the PJM wholesale electricity market.

In a separate announcement, the U.S. Army has awarded joint venture HSGS-Ameresco a $7.9 million contract to design and construct a 1.5 MW ground mount solar PV system at the Tooele Army Depot in Tooele, Utah.

Ameresco’s joint venture with Hannah Solar Government Services (HSGS) is a part of the SBA Mentor Protégé Program, which helps eligible small businesses gain exposure and win government contracts through partnerships with more experienced companies.

The Tooele Army Depot project marks the first time that a contract has been awarded to the joint venture.

Construction is set to begin in summer 2022 and reach completion by fall 2023.

Last December, President Joe Biden issued an executive order directing federal agencies to achieve 100% carbon-free electricity by 2030; half of that amount would have to be supplied locally.

The executive order also called for net-zero emissions from overall federal operations by 2050. The federal General Services Administration and DOD later issued a request for information regarding 24/7 carbon-free electricity procurement.