Phase One SPIDERS Report

Here is the latest scoop on SPIDERS from the field:.  

The Smart Power Infrastructure Demonstration for Energy Reliability and Security (SPIDERS) energy security micro-grid government and industry partners conducted their Start of Work meeting for Phase One at Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam (JBPHH) in Oahu 13-14 DEC 11.   After a challenging acquisition process and with widely expressed industry concerns, the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) technical managers and acquisition professionals were able to select Burns and McDonnell out of several qualified respondents. In micro-grid work, the USACE appears to be accepting some technical risk as they appliqué micro-grid components and novel architecture at this scale in their push for an Enterprise solutions DoD may adopt in the future. Burns and McDonnell and their partners plan to push beyond their previous market experience in addressing technical and business case metrics. Expected outcomes include integrating existing renewable energy demonstration projects, legacy electrical infrastructure (Navy Facilities Command) and challenging Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD) deliverables aimed at leaving behind real property improvements and providing lasting energy security for part of JBPHH. Final design review is expected within 90 days and construction completed by summer 2012. JCTD deliverables and evaluation reports are forecast by the end of 2012.

Since I was not present for the industry day, I have only single source reporting on this.  Anyone else care to chime in?  Another scout reported the pending release of Phase II at Fort Carson.  More at this link.  All the best, Dan Nolan