The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) awarded Lockheed Martin and Whiting Turner a $15 million contract to install a biomass steam-generation system to produce heat and power.

The VA Medical Center in Canandaigua, N.Y., will be outfitted with a fully automated system that uses biomass byproducts such as wood chips and bark salvaged from local lumber yards and logging operations to generate clean, steam-powered energy.

"The VA is committed to reducing its energy costs, generating onsite power through renewable resources and reducing our carbon footprint," said Steven Bolewski, VA network energy manager. "Using locally available biomass as an energy source will allow the VA to avoid costly swings in energy prices that detract from its mission of caring for veterans while reducing our total carbon cycle emissions."

Lockheed Martin has its own biomass facility in Owego, N.Y., as part of the company's "Go Green" initiative. By switching from fuel oil to wood chips, the project has reduced the plant's heating and cooling bills by half and reduced its carbon footprint by 25 percent. The biomass facility opened in 2008.

"We recognize the critical need to reduce the country's dependency on fossil fuels and significantly increase clean energy generation," said Chris Myers, Lockheed Martin vice president for energy and government programs. "The success of our biomass system demonstrates our ability to design cost efficient, renewable energy systems, helping to secure a clean energy future."

Lockheed Martin will build, install and test the equipment as well as train the VA on how to maintain the biomass system. Whiting Turner will provide onsite construction leadership and work with the VA to integrate the biomass system.

The project is funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The Canandaigua biomass system will be the same configuration as the system in Owego, applying lessons learned to reduce costs and improve efficiency. Work on the contract will be performed in Owego and Canandaigua, N.Y.; Portland, Maine; and Baltimore, Md.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 136,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation's 2009 sales from continuing operations were $44.5 billion.

For additional information about Lockheed Martin, visit: http://www.lockheedmartin.com/ms2

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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin