WASHINGTON — Siemens Government Technologies Inc. announced that the U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center has awarded a $16.8 million task order to implement energy conservation upgrades, including a 4.465 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) power generating system — the largest to date for the U.S. Army — at the White Sands Missile Range, N.M.

The solar PV system is the primary component of the energy savings performance contract (ESPC) to be implemented by the Building Technologies Division of Siemens Industry Inc. The solar PV system will provide the Army with approximately 10,000 solar renewable energy credits annually as well as qualify it for a 30 percent federal cash grant in excess of $4.8 million. According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the solar PV system will help White Sands Missile Range achieve 10.8 percent renewable energy by the end of 2012, up from .5 percent and beating the 2013 government mandate by more than three percentage points. This project supports President Obama’s directive that federal agencies use ESPCs to make $2 billion worth of energy efficiency upgrades over the next two years, as well as supporting the Army’s renewable energy goals.

“This project implements a solar photovoltaic array system that will partially offset White Sands Missile Range’s energy requirements, improve facilities and operations, demonstrate Army engineering and technology capabilities, and align with the Army’s Energy Security and NetZero objectives,” said Judy Marks, president and CEO of Siemens Government Technologies.