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Defence: Energy

Asked by Ben Obese-JectyConservativeMinistry of DefenceTabled Answered 13 October 2025UIN 77267

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the full scope is of Project Santa-ana.

Answered by Luke Pollard

Project SANTA ANA is a trial of two ‘off grid’ deployable, modular and mobile energy systems to compare market solutions to;

- generate power at the point of use.

- store the energy.

- manage the energy.

- distribute the energy to electric vehicles.

The system includes micro wind turbines, battery, solar, energy management systems and Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure.

The systems are being trialled at RAF Leeming, RNAS Yeovilton, Bovington and West Moors.

The system sited at RAF Leeming is in direct line of sight of an airfield radar system as part of a test of the impact of micro wind turbines on radar.

The trial will provide learning to the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to the following areas:

- To gain experience on reducing the reliance on the hydrocarbon logistics chain.

- To produce reliable and dependable off grid energy for a deployable environment.

- To exploit micro wind turbine technology.

- To challenge policy with respect to micro wind turbine and radar.

- To inform and influence MOD stakeholders on mobile renewable energy solutions.

- To understand the challenges of managing mobile renewable power and demand.

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