Duke Energy has signed a $36 million energy services agreement with Fort Bragg that includes a rare floating solar farm.
Under the contract, the Charlotte-based energy company will help the U.S. Army installation modernize lighting, water, heating and cooling systems and improve energy efficiency and resilience.
A Duke contractor will begin construction on the floating solar array and a related battery system in November.
“We approached Duke Energy with the idea of a floating solar array unsure of how they would respond to the innovative concept,” Audrey Oxendine, who oversees energy and utilities at Fort Bragg, said in a press release. “However, Duke Energy was excited to take on the challenge and work with us to make an idea into reality.”
The solar panels will be installed on a floating platform. Fort Bragg will own the solar and battery system when it's finished. Duke says the system will provide extra power beyond what the base gets from the power grid and will be a backup during outages.
Floating solar farms supply less than 2% of the world's energy, mainly in Asia, according to Duke.
Duke also has worked with Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in Onslow County, where it owns a solar farm.
