Air Force officials are poised to begin negotiations with Fotowatio Renewable Ventures of San Francisco, a leading global independent solar power producer, on a lease deal to develop the largest crystalline photovoltaic solar project in North America on the grounds of Edwards AFB, Calif. The Air Force Real Property Agency said in a release Tuesday that Kathleen Ferguson, USAF’s installations chief, selected FRV as the offeror of choice with which to enter the negotiations following a competitive evaluation of proposals by a USAF team. Once negotiations are finalized and an enhanced use lease is signed with FRV, development of the 3,288-acre solar farm will commence. According to AFRPA, it will deliver enough energy to power nearly 89,000 homes. “This is a great achievement for the Air Force, renewable energy, energy security, and all of our community and commercial partners,” said Bob Moore, AFRPA director.
A provision in the fiscal 2025 defense policy bill will require the Defense Department to include the military occupational specialty of service members who die by suicide in its annual report on suicide deaths, though it remains to be seen how much data the department will actually disclose.