Fort Rucker, in southeast Alabama, has won one of the Pentagon’s most prestigious awards for military installations, in part because of its ongoing efforts to become more energy efficient.

The Commander in Chief’s Annual Award for Installation Excellence is awarded to only five military installations each year. It’s the first time Fort Rucker has received the award.

Photovoltaic array at Hatch Field, Fort Rucker, Alabama

The base was recognized for improving the quality of life for its service members and their families, including taking significant steps in becoming more energy efficient.

Fort Rucker is home to the primary flight training base for Army Aviation and to the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence. It is also the location for the U.S. Army Aviation Museum. Alabama Power owns and operates Fort Rucker’s electrical distribution system.

In the award announcement by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel’s office, Alabama Power was credited with helping the base reduce its energy consumption.

As part of President Barack Obama’s ‘all-of-the-above’ strategy to responsibly develop America’s domestic energy resources, the Department of Defense teamed up with the Department of the Interior to strengthen the nation’s energy security and reduce military utility costs. A major goal of the partnership is to harness viable renewable energy sources on or near installations across the country.

Fort Rucker, working with Alabama Power, did just that by completing a 51 kilowatt photovoltaic system at its Hatch Stage Field. The solar array makes Hatch Field a “net zero” facility, meaning it is producing all the energy it needs on-site.

In addition to the solar array, Alabama Power Energy Services representatives worked with the base on other improvements. They included new energy-efficient lighting, lighting controls, heat recovery applications, plus an electric boiler and electric infrared heating in aircraft hangers. The upgrades are expected to reduce Fort Rucker’s energy costs by $159,000 annually. Alabama Power also conducted a base-wide energy audit and is developing additional projects to further assist Fort Rucker with its energy reduction goals.