U.S. Army Reserve Expands Electric Vehicle Charging, Microgrid Infrastructure in New Agreement

The U.S. Army Reserve continues the rollout of Electric Vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure and other sustainable energy solutions at facilities across the nation to strengthen readiness and resilience. A 5-year agreement has been signed with Techflow to design, install, and maintain EV charging and supporting microgrid infrastructure at Army Reserve facilities. This agreement enables a full-scale EV charger rollout after the success of the Army Reserve’s participation in a pilot program with the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU).

“This is an exciting step as we move closer to a 100 percent zero-emission non-tactical vehicle fleet,” explained Neville Jordan, Army Reserve Electric Vehicle Program Manager. “Building off our EV pilot success in California, along with master planning site assessment data we are receiving from the U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville, each Army Reserve Center and Army Reserve-funded installation will receive a tailored package based on their needs to ensure the proper charging infrastructure and resilience solutions are implemented.”

The Army Reserve plans to rollout approximately 2,800 EVs to over 760 facilities to meet federal emission requirements and climate goals. Army Reserve-funded installation Fort Buchanan, located in Puerto Rico, already has 15 charging stations while Fort McCoy, Wisconsin has four charging stations. Additionally, the Army Reserve partnered with the DIU last year to pilot seven dual-port EV chargers at Parks Reserve Forces Training Area in Dublin, CA, and three more (two dual-port and one single-port) chargers at the 63rd RD Headquarters in Mountain View, CA. The pilot continues to measure and provide actionable data on usage, uptime, vehicle types (i.e. personal and government), wait times, and mean time to repair. The pilot also evaluates “Charging-as-a-Service”, meaning personal charging revenues defray Department of Defense (DOD) infrastructure investments.

Through this new agreement, TechFlow will conduct site evaluations, reviews of master plans, iterative design, and construction. Additionally, TechFlow will perform the procurement and installation of EV charging stations and the required power infrastructure. Where applicable, microgrid solutions will also be integrated with EV charging to enhance resilience.

“The Army Reserve is a leader across the DOD when it comes to sustainability planning, energy resilience and security, and prioritizing initiatives that help us adapt to and mitigate the effects of a changing climate,” shared Laura Pirtle, Chief of the Army Reserve’s Installation Services and Programs Branch. “Procuring EVs, updating and implementing efficient infrastructure, installing on-site clean renewables, and investing in microgrids lets our Soldiers focus on training, mobilizing, and deploying when our nation calls on them. Our installations and facilities are a part of the fight, and these efforts make sure we are sustaining the mission and the environment, so we are always ready for the future fight.”