Energy Exchange

Matching Veterans with Solar Jobs: Now that’s a Bright Idea

By Stephanie Kline / Published: May 4, 2015

During the next five years, 200,000 service members will transition from active duty military to civilian life. They will need jobs. The solar industry is booming and needs skilled workers. The math is simple.

The recently announced Solar Ready Vets program aims to help transitioning service members pursue training in the solar industry, which is adding 30,000 jobs a year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

Solar Ready Vets will focus on the specific needs of high-growth solar employers and build on the technical skills that veterans acquired during service. Solar Ready Vets is part of a larger DOE initiative to train 75,000 people for the solar workforce by 2020, some of whom are also veterans.

Initially, Solar Ready Vets will roll out at 10 military bases across the United States. Four bases in Colorado, California, Utah, and Virginia have been identified, and the other six will be selected based on the number of transitioning military personnel and strength of the solar market, among other things. Read More »

Posted in Clean Energy, Jobs, North Carolina, Renewable Energy / Read 8 Responses

Why Military Veterans are Uniquely Primed for Climate Action

By Stephanie Kline / Published: October 8, 2014

Most veterans’ climate action advocacy is not motivated only by traditional environmental issues, but also by lives lost during fuel transports amid increasing global conflicts.

My advocacy is motivated by both, and as a veteran, I’m inspired by increased opportunities to promote clean energy policies that support energy security, resiliency, and military readiness.

Climate change affects us in multiple ways, not the least of which is geopolitically. Rising global temperatures are, in fact, one of the fastest-growing threats to national security.

This is why the U.S. Armed Forces are actively responding to the threat of climate change, as are many veterans who leave the military with a strong understanding of how climate issues can drive or alter missions. Read More »

Posted in Clean Energy / Comments are closed

Military Saves Energy, Money on the Home Front

By Stephanie Kline / Published: July 31, 2014

Source: The U.S. Army Flickr

Home energy bills are not something most people think about when it comes to military energy conservation. Most service members are unlikely to think about them either, especially those who live in military housing, which are communities on or near bases that are managed by private firms. For soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines living in these communities, their Base Allowance for Housing (BAH) covers rent and utilities and is automatically taken out of their paychecks. While convenient and easy to manage, this system can have the negative, unintended consequence of removing responsibility for individual energy use – an issue of particular concern this time of year when temperatures are at their highest and air conditioners are working overtime.

For service members who do not live in privatized military housing, their BAH is not taken out of their paychecks, and they are responsible for paying rent and utilities. My husband and I lived off base at all of our duty stations and were responsible for paying our own bills. Although our BAH was specifically designated for these expenses, we conserved energy whenever possible to keep more money in our pockets. Read More »

Posted in Clean Energy, Energy Efficiency / Comments are closed

Four Ways the U.S. Military Can Adopt Clean Energy for National Security

By Stephanie Kline / Published: April 15, 2014

Ribbon cutting ceremony for the Fort Carson solar array. U.S. Army photo by Michael J. Pach.

At the U.S. Defense Department, the multiple national security threats created by sea level rise and severe weather command daily attention; climate change has been on its radar for years. The recently published Quadrennial Defense Report (QDR), an assessment of U.S. defense readiness, addresses the growing threat that climate change poses to military capabilities and global operations. Adding to that, the newly released Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report states that extreme weather events will begin occurring more frequently across the globe. As first responders in the wake of extreme weather events, the U.S. military will be called upon to provide emergency support and services for a large portion of them.

The timing of these reports highlights a growing defense challenge but also provides an opportunity for the Defense Department to lead from the front in climate change mitigation and adaptation. Read More »

Posted in Clean Energy, Climate, Energy Efficiency, Grid Modernization / Tagged IPCC | Comments are closed