{"id":8715,"date":"2014-11-12T11:28:50","date_gmt":"2014-11-12T17:28:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/energyexchange\/?p=8715"},"modified":"2015-12-21T12:42:30","modified_gmt":"2015-12-21T18:42:30","slug":"time-to-salute-our-military-as-they-save-the-kilowatts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/energyexchange\/2014\/11\/12\/time-to-salute-our-military-as-they-save-the-kilowatts\/","title":{"rendered":"Time to Salute Our Military as They Save the Kilowatts"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"U.S.<\/a>
U.S. Army Major General Dana J.H. Pittard, Fort Bliss commander, gives a speech during the ribbon cutting for the solar panel project at Fort Bliss, Texas housing communities, Feb. 26, 2013. Source: defenseimagery.mil<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In light of yesterday\u2019s commendable day, the Defense Energy Summit<\/a> (DES) is hosting its second annual forum in Austin, TX, and EDF is a proud sponsor once again. One of the goals for this conference is to build the foundation for a new Defense Energy Center of Excellence<\/a> (DECE), which would enable Central Texas and military communities to create a test bed of clean energy technologies and policies. The DECE will help the Department of Defense (DoD) with its energy defense policy, organizational structure, education and training, manufacturing, logistics, personnel, and financing.<\/p>\n

Texas\u2019 capital is a logical spot to house the DECE, as Texas is home to 22 military installations \u2013 including five bases within 90 miles of Austin. Plus, the DECE could tap into the brain power at Texas universities<\/a>, which are already charging forward with innovative clean energy solutions.<\/p>\n

Leading the Charge<\/b><\/p>\n

Although the DoD is the single largest consumer of fuel<\/a> in the United States, the military has taken a significant interest in its energy footprint for one primary reason: energy security.<\/p>\n

Transporting fuel is one of the riskiest operations<\/a> when fighting on the front lines. Last year alone, the U.S. military consumed roughly 90 million barrels of oil. By powering military bases and equipment with solar energy, as well as reducing demand through energy efficiency, the military can help protect the brave men and women serving in our armed forces. The DoD can then use those avoided fuel costs for other projects, such as research and development, to meet the needs of its most critical missions.<\/p>\n

Army partners with NREL<\/b><\/p>\n

Most recently, the U.S. Army (Army) announced a partnership with the Energy Department’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in an effort to increase the use of energy efficiency and renewable energy at nine installations \u2013 one of which is in Texas. These pilot sites strive to be Net Zero Energy Installations (NZEI)<\/a> by 2020, meaning they will produce just as much energy as they consume. If the pilots are successful, the Army will upgrade eight percent<\/a> of current installations with renewable energy.<\/p>\n

The savings really do add up, even with small energy reductions. NREL estimates<\/a> that if Army installations worldwide reduce energy consumption by 25 percent, the Army would save up to $300 million in annual energy costs. That\u2019s a lot of money that could be spent on our troops\u2019 safety.<\/p>\n

The Texas project is going not one but two steps further by aiming for net zero energy, water, and waste. As the largest military base<\/a> (in terms of size) in the U.S., Fort Bliss has proposed a host of innovative technologies including a 20 megawatt (MW) solar installation, low-flow showerheads, smart meters on almost every building, and behavioral techniques to influence and increase conservation. In the words<\/a> of Col. Joseph A. Simonelli Jr., Fort Bliss Garrison Commander, \u201cthis concept will include sustainability factors that improve the quality of life for Soldiers and families. With the right approach, we can take care of our Soldiers and families and help sustain the Army for the future.\u201d[Tweet “The biggest winner behind all of the @DeptofDefense clean energy installations? America. http:\/\/ow.ly\/EaU6s via @EDFEnergyEX “]<\/p>\n

Other branches are taking up the clean energy fight, too<\/b><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a rundown on how the other military branches stack up:<\/p>\n

As the military\u2019s largest consumer of fuel, the U.S. Air Force is taking great strides to reduce its energy footprint across the board. Some of its commitments<\/a> include:<\/p>\n