Energy usage of the United States military

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A view of solar panels installed in 2011 on the roof of Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command Headquarters, San Diego. The rooftop photovoltaic installation supports the Department of Defense's goal of increasing renewable energy sources to 25 percent of all energy consumed by the year 2025.

The United States Department of Defense is one of the largest single consumers of energy in the world, responsible for 93% of all US government fuel consumption in 2007 (Air Force: 52%; Navy: 33%; Army: 7%. Other DoD: 1%).[1] In FY 2006, the DoD used almost 30,000 gigawatt hours (GWH) of electricity, at a cost of almost $2.2 billion. The DoD's electricity use would supply enough electricity to power more than 2.3 million average American homes. In electricity consumption, if it were a country, the DoD would rank 58th in the world, using slightly less than Denmark and slightly more than Syria (CIA World Factbook, 2006).[1] The Department of Defense uses 4,600,000,000 US gallons (1.7×1010 L) of fuel annually, an average of 12,600,000 US gallons (48,000,000 L) of fuel per day. A large Army division may use about 6,000 US gallons (23,000 L) per day. According to the 2005 CIA World Factbook, if it were a country, the DoD would rank 34th in the world in average daily oil use, coming in just behind Iraq and just ahead of Sweden.[1]

General

See also:
Climate change and national security

The military recognizes that renewable energy can provide improvements in force safety and budget stability as well as

climate change the biggest concern for the United States military.[2][3]

Air Force

The

Environmental Protection Agency as a Green Power Partner, one of the nation's top purchasers of green power.[6] The Air Force Energy Plan, published in May 2010, includes more information about the Air Force's goals, including reducing demand, increasing supply, and changing the culture to include energy awareness.[7]

Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Operational Energy Plans and Programs

In 2010, DoD established the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Operational Energy Plans and Programs to coordinate energy issues. In July 2010, DoD also signed a

Air Force Reserve, Army National Guard and Air National Guard facilities to invest in energy efficiency
.

Recent developments

In 2009, the US Army stated that it had prioritized

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act gave more than $150 million to develop these technologies.[9] Stateside, the Army created the Net Zero program with a goal to have 30 installations achieve net-zero energy by 2030, including some that will also be net-zero in waste and water.[5][10] In 2011, they opened the Base Camp Systems Integration Laboratory, which compares an energy efficient base camp with a traditional one and trains soldiers to use energy efficient technologies.[11] The Army Energy Security Implementation Strategy,[12] published in 2009, gives details about the Army's energy goals.[13]

The

Strike Group (fueled by biofuels and nuclear power) by 2012 and sail the Great Green Fleet by 2016.[5] The Office of Naval Research developed and deployed the Experimental Forward Operating Base (ExFOB), including photovoltaic energy, shelter insulation, small unit water purification, and energy efficient heating, lighting, and cooling.[15]

The Marine Corps established the Expeditionary Energy Office to increase combat effectiveness by reducing the need for liquid fossil fuel by 50 percent by 2025, using liquid fuel for mobility only.[16]

The Defense Department plans to invest $9 billion to improve energy use in military operations through 2017.[17]

Through the

SolarStrong program, a total of 300MW of PV installations were done on 120,000 roofs of base housing throughout the U.S.[18] The 14MW Nellis Solar Power Plant went online in 2007. Fort Bliss has a 1.4MW PV array as well as 13MW of base housing PV and a second 15MW solar farm should be online in 2015.[19] Fort Irwin had initially proposed a 500MW PV farm but 15MW solar farm was later awarded for construction with a separate 2MW PV system at the base hospital. A 14MW PV plant was built at China Lake in 2011.[20]

Fort Drum converted a coal power plant to a 28MW biomass plant.[21] In 2014, the U.S. military invested $210 million in 3 biofuel refineries which will produce fuels which meet military specifications.[22]

See also

References

  1. ^
    The Brookings Institution. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 29, 2014. Retrieved May 12, 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link
    )
  2. ^ Chief of US Pacific forces calls climate biggest worry March 9, 2013 The Boston Globe
  3. ^ Navy Admiral Samuel J. Locklear says the biggest security threat in the Pacific region is climate change. March 12, 2013 The Wall Street Journal
  4. ^ Powering America's Defense: Energy and the Risks to National Security Archived 2010-01-08 at the Wayback Machine, CNA Analysis & Solutions, May 2009
  5. ^ a b c d e "DoD's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Initiatives". Environmental and Energy Study Institute. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
  6. ^ "Air Force leads the way as Green Power Partner". U.S. Air Force. Archived from the original on 2011-07-08. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
  7. ^ "Air Force Energy Plan" (PDF). U.S. Air Force. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-08. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
  8. ^ Whitehouse.gov
  9. ^ a b c Vogel, Steve. Pentagon Prioritizes Pursuit Of Alternative Fuel Sources, The Washington Post, 4/13/09
  10. ^ "Army Vision for Net Zero" (PDF). U.S. Army. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
  11. ^ "Base Camp Integration Lab opens at Fort Devens". U.S. Army. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
  12. ^ http://www.asaie.army.mil/Public/Partnerships/doc/AESIS_13JAN09_Approved%204-03-09.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  13. ^ "Army Energy Security Implementation Strategy" (PDF). U.S. Army. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
  14. ^ "U.S. Navy Energy, Environment, and Climate Change". U.S. Navy. Archived from the original on 2018-04-27. Retrieved 2011-08-02.
  15. ^ "ONR Experimental Forward Operating Base". Office of Naval Research. Retrieved 2011-08-03.
  16. ^ "USMC Expeditionary Energy Office" (PDF). U.S. Marine Corps.
  17. ^ "Department of Defense Certifies Key Energy Investments Support Increased Combat Capability." DoD, 15 August 2012.
  18. ^ SolarCity announces another major military housing contract, DigitalGreenMedia, Amanda H. Miller, July 26, 2013
  19. ISSN 0301-4215
    .
  20. ^ These 5 Department of Defense Solar Energy Projects Will Forever Change What Fuels America's Military, Tim Bolger, Cleantechnica, October 1st, 2013
  21. ^ Fort Drum Ditches Coal For 100% Renewable Biomass, CleanTechnica, Tina Casey, February 20th, 2014
  22. ^ US Navy, DOE, USDA award $210M for 3 biorefineries and mil-spec fuels, Biofuels Digest, Jim Lane, September 19, 2014

Further reading

  • The Jane's Interview: William C. Anderson,
    Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Installations, Environment, and Logistics
    , Jane's Defence Weekly, 12 March 2008 (p. 34).

External links

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