The Foreign Service Journal, July-August 2017

36 JULY-AUGUST 2017 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL With the significant, steady drop in the cost of solar energy systems, the State Department has moved to take advantage of this enivronment-friendly investment. Todd Evans is an energy manager in the Office of Design and Engineering of the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations. He is a licensed architect and a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED©)–accredited professional and certified energy manager with expertise in renewable energy systems. S olar power systems, once a rarity at diplomatic facilities overseas, have become more commonplace in the past decade. Once in use at only a handful of posts, solar power sys- tems are now installed at 20 posts worldwide, with another 26 systems on the way. Construction is nearing comple- tion on systems in Nouakchott, Valletta, London, Port-au-Prince and Belmopan. Additional systems are funded, under design or have started construction in Curaçao, Harare, N’Djamena, Bridgetown, Nuevo Laredo, Phnom Penh, Mexico City, Colombo, Beirut, Matamoros, Niamey and Hyderabad. The increase has much to do with the long-term savings we achieve through these investments. Over the years, we have identified four important components to achieving success. To ensure a global return on investment in this technology, the first key is to install the equipment in areas known for their irradiance—essentially, sun and clear skies (see Figure 1). The second consideration is the local cost for municipally supplied electricity coupled with the reliability of the local grid. The third key is having the physical space available on the ground, over parking areas or on a roof that is not shaded by surrounding vegetation or structures. The final and most important factor in the equation for suc- cess is the interest and commitment of the local community, along with the ability to performmaintenance on the installation locally. While these arrays are not complicated by moving parts, they do require regular monitoring, cleaning and, sometimes, part replacement. Sunny Skies The first key is dictated by geography. Figure 1 shows how much sun energy reaches the earth. If your post is in a bright and clear location, then let’s go ahead and talk about keys two, three and four. If you’re also paying a lot for electricity and you have a staff parking lot that could use a cover or an empty lot that isn’t planned for, then your post is probably a good candidate for a solar power system. But if you live in a dark location, your power is cheap and reliable, and you don’t have a square meter that isn’t covered or planned for, then you’re probably better off continuing to get your juice from the grid. (Sorry, Reykjavík.) Cost of Power The second key requires a careful look at your utility bill. Installation and system costs have come down steadily and considerably, making the payback on investment much more likely even in locations with lower electricity rates. At the start of BY TODD EVANS SOLAROVERSEAS Harnessing the Sun to Power U.S. Embassies FOCUS ON ENVIRONMENTAL DIPLOMACY