Marines connect smart base infrastructure -- GCN

The Marines are working to design and operate a smart base testbed to support the resiliency of critical infrastructure at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar near San Diego, Calif.
Partnering with US Ignite, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing smart communities, officials at Miramar expect the new project to leverage that facility's investments in both autonomous vehicles testing and microgrid technology.
As a part of the Marine Corps’ Mobility Transformation, Miramar has been experimenting with autonomous vehicles since early 2018 when it opened its AV proving grounds for industry and government partners to test and develop AV technologies.
One project, born of a partnership between the Marine Corps and the state of California, piloted the use of electric AVs for official and personal use on the base. Because the vans are vehicle-to-grid capable, they can also connect to the station’s microgrid through a bi-directional electric-vehicle charging station, making them essentially mobile batteries. If the power goes out at Miramar, there could be enough stored energy in the van to power a building connected to the microgrid.