MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- Camp Pendleton is going greener with the use of renewable energy, by developing a photovoltaic system or “solar panels” which were unveiled in the Stuart Mesa housing community, Feb. 3.

The project was first announced in July of 2010 and is now ready to ensure Camp Pendleton is one of the most environmentally friendly military installations.

The photovoltaic system uses solar cells to convert light into electricity, generating 1.48 megawatts of renewable energy annually, and will also power 5 percent of the base’s daily energy use. The system has 225 panels, with each panel featuring 28-235 watt-modules tallying 6,300 photovoltaic components for all six acres.

Totaling at $9.4 million, the photovoltaic system was funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

“We are very pleased to get across the finish line of this project,” said Col. Nicholas F. Marano, commanding officer, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. “The [photovoltaic system] is helping us move in the right direction of the mandates pushed out by the Department of the Navy.

The mandates started in 2005 stating that the base is to reduce its energy usage by 3 percent per year. In addition, 25 percent of the base’s energy usage must come from renewable energy by 2020

The 28-acre Box Canyon site was formally a 1,093,000 cubic yard landfill which was closed in February of 2003.

The project also included a monitoring system providing real time data to monitor how much electricity is being generated each day.

“The photovoltaic system will produce on average 6,600 kilowatt-hours daily,” said Jerry Zapata, project manager, Synergy Electric.

A second photovoltaic system is in the planning stages in hopes of receiving 10 percent of the base’s power from renewable energy sources.