Renewable Energy Solar Energy Wind Energy Geothermal Energy Bioenergy Hydropower

The US Army Has the 'Land and the Demand' for Renewable Energy

By Robert Crowe, Contributor
August 11, 2011 | 20 Comments

Do you like this news?

Bookmark

Feed

Texas, United States -- The U.S. Army wants you, private investors, to install large-scale renewable energy projects on its lands to meet a goal of drawing 25% of electricity from clean sources by 2025.

“(It’s) the right thing to do for the environment – certainly in this age of diminishing resources the right thing to do for the federal taxpayers and, most importantly, the right thing to do for our soldiers,” Secretary of the Army John McHugh said during a media call at the GovEnergy conference.

On Wednesday, McHugh announced that the Army will open an Energy Initiatives Office (EIO) Task Force on Sept. 15 to serve as a “one-stop shop” for the private sector to find opportunities for partnerships in a variety of renewable energy projects. Unsolicited proposals are welcome.

The Army estimates it will need $7.1 billion in private investment to generate 2.1 million megawatt-hours of clean power annually. The EIO approach will help the Army aggressively add multiple megawatts of clean energy by 2025 while saving tax dollars.

Katherine Hammack, assistant secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment, said the Army is looking for average power plants to be 10 MW or greater. The U.S. Department of Defense recently granted the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Installations and Environment authority to approve long-term contracts of up to 30 years for power purchase agreements (PPAs). The 30-year PPA had been limited to geothermal energy.

“We’re not saying all projects will need 30-year authority, but it’s something we’re going to be working on [on] a project-by-project basis,” Hammack said.

McHugh said the approach could be attractive to investors because the Army will be “a guaranteed customer,” while there are also opportunities to sell surplus energy back to the grid.

“In short, we have the ‘land and the demand’ and we think that’s a good catchphrase,” added Jonathan Powers, director of outreach for the Energy Initiatives Office.

The Air Force used long-term PPAs to spur development of a 15-MW solar array at Luke AFB in Arizona and a 14-MW solar plant at Nellis AFB near Las Vegas. The Army built upon that business model for a 500-MW solar plant at Ft. Irwin base in California.

Powers said the Army has completed 126 renewable projects, while another “20 are in the hopper.” Lessons learned from those projects, he said, will help the EIO provide future investors with development assistance on legal, technical and policy issues.

The office will be working closely with Fort Bliss, which released a request for information this week seeking industry input to help the El Paso, Texas, base become the first large-scale “net zero” military installation.

The EIO is part of a greater effort by the military to use renewables to enhance energy security inside the continental United States and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Last spring, the DoD said its Operational Energy Strategy would pursue alternative fuels and electricity generation to help secure warfighters overseas.

NPR reported that the military spends about $20 billion on fuel for air conditioning in Iraq and Afghanistan. Fuel delivery trucks have been a regular target of enemy combatants, so the military is exploring use of renewable energy to enhance security of troops.

Bioenergy, Geothermal Energy, Ocean Energy, Solar Energy, Wind Power

20 Reader Comments

Comment
1 of 20

larryofgalaxy

August 12, 2011

A much better idea would be to shut down a majority of these useless facilities here and especially the 730 other 'Roman Legion' bases around the world. Take the money saved and do something of value with it. This is just more funneling of wealth toward a black hole where it is never seen again. Wake up folks.

Comment
2 of 20

thomas-mayrand-14505

August 12, 2011

Funny how a group of people, the armed services, have to look to civilians and their tax money to do such projects. They do it in defense and a lot of other aspects of it's being all in the name of death and destruction. It's a wonder how all their supposed "intellegence" is not able to build and develop these technologies on their own. Don't make renewables responsible for war just like every other technology has over the centuries.

Comment
3 of 20

Anonymous

August 12, 2011

larryofgalaxy,
You are profoundly short sighted. Enjoy the dream world you live in--much of which has been courtesy of a strong US defense. Nobody gives a rats ass about the environment during a REAL war--been almost 75 years since one.
Bleeding hearts, quite frankly, have more blood on their hands than militaries. The bleeders just choose to see what they want, thrown stones and act incredulously...reality is too much for them to bear. The second comment is as wacky as the first on this page.
Careful what you wish for, because you might just get it.
Now you can put you blinders back on and start whining--it is your role in this life--easier for you that way.
btw--you forgot to blame Bush for every evil in the world.

Comment
4 of 20

DWagner

August 12, 2011

Currently the cost of solar electricity is $0.2025 kWh or $202 mWh So to produce the energy they want at current prices would be $202 mWh * 2.1 e6 = $425.25 Million.
(http://www.solarbuzz.com/facts-and-figures/retail-price-environment/solar-electricity-prices)
So this could be done almost immediately at less than 1/16th the cost. If they want to spend the money, why not produce 25%*16 = 400% of the energy and be an energy exporter. This of course would drive down the costs, so they could probably produce at least 420% or so by 2020 and give the US industry a boost. These costs do not include advancements that have already happened like the 43.5% efficient concentrator cell by Solar Junction or the record 29.1% efficient single junction solar cell by Alta Devices (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/PVeff%28rev110408U%29.jpg).
There can also be some big gains with some new architectures like the Rainbow concentrator by Sol Solution (www.sol-solution.net).

Comment
5 of 20

larryofgalaxy

August 12, 2011

"NPR reported that the military spends about $20 billion on fuel for air conditioning in Iraq and Afghanistan."

Why not send this entire mercenary army to Antarctica and not supply any buildings (not even a tent) of any kind. Just have them stand naked in the open while they burn millions of gallons of diesel fuel and just blow the hot air on them. Doing this would be no more silly or foolish than what they do now with having hundreds of thousands of mercenaries occupy a country for no reason other than to make certain this fuel is consumed along with all the other things supplied to keep the oligarchs who are paid for it, obscenely wealthy and those who actually produce something of value (the dying middle class paying the taxes)begging for crumbs.

Comment
6 of 20

larryofgalaxy

August 12, 2011

To Anonymous:
Thomas Jefferson said 'eternal freedom requires eternal vigilance' .
The sane and rational thinking people of the world have always been(eternal vigilance) at the forefront of ensuring that voices such as yours; a non thinking ,chest beating, macho love of an unfortunately necessary evil that is anything military, as well as the disgusting and vile war profiteers who supply them at the cost of real liberty and security, should have little if any say in how a country is governed. You mentioned the figure head of the Bush Crime Family? That national crime spree posing as an administration was the result of folks like you getting the upper hand for a while through more crime coming from a so called supreme court. After the last election we now have a continuation of the same crime spree posing as the other side of the same political coin. Of course you would not support them even though the policy is identical since there is a D after their name and like a response to a dog whistle compels you to act as you are programmed.Hopefully in future elections your voice will be just a fading nightmare. If not then your so called defense will end up bankrupting us and continue to supply the wealth that fuels true corporate tyranny at a minimum or will lead to our ultimate demise as a democratic republic. Join in a noble fight for true defense and true liberty or keep 'thinking' as you do now.

Comment
7 of 20

dpierotti

August 12, 2011

Anyone concerned with the environment and the renewables industry in general should view this as very good news. Good or bad, the military has the wherewithal to aid development and commercialization of new technology, in ways that traditional market forces shy away from.

There are many small companies hoping to leverage the military's involvement to bring widespread environmental and economic benefits to the general public. To see what I mean check out

http://blog.harvestpower.com/events-happenings/department-of-defense-gets-serious-about-sustainable-energy-sources/

Comment
8 of 20

RTagain

August 12, 2011

larryofgalaxy - nice comments and response to the brainwashed, thoroughly controlled Anonymous. Hey Anony, most of the people of the world are very good - they do not start the wars. It is the banker controlled governments that do, with their contrived reasons (of Terrorism, WMD, etc.) that get the easily controlled sheeple to go along with it because they (like you) are so ignorant of what is really going on. Please check into some things - here is a good page of references: tnns.org/government Real change / improvements will not happen until enough of "we the people" get informed, quit bickering over superficial issues, and force the right policies on this corrupt out-of-touch, unresponsive government, get rid of the FED and get the right people [like Ron Paul] into office.

You can help yourself and the country in a big way, converting your tax liability into cash and an asset (in renewable energy) here: powertaxcredit.com

Comment
9 of 20

LizziE

August 12, 2011

Everyone, its all a waste to trash talk and bash each others opinions, that's hardly productive. Dedicate your thoughts to actual constructive energy, like being an example of 'clean' living, working and playing, sharing what works. Always looking upon others mistakes, can trip you and many others up. I took a large paycut, to work for tiny start up renewable energy company. Despite the many brick walls and negative opinions, I receive, I will look forward to some kind of brighter energy future, whether the government or those opposing fall. I may end up wealthy or just get by, either way I will happily survive. You may call me a dreamer, but I'm not... :)(in case you need to bash me, my name is Lizz)

Comment
10 of 20

larryofgalaxy

August 12, 2011

'Everyone, its all a waste to trash talk and bash each others opinions, that's hardly productive.'

LIzz. Nice sentiments I suppose but....

What you call trash talking and bashing each other: I'll let other's do it on ultra right wing sites. Constructive criticism and lively debate is a rare commodity in today's world. Last evenings 'debate' in Iowa shows how truly dire things have become in this country. Because of a lack of effort to engage in rational debate based only on facts a group of essentially clowns in suits and a skirt pass for valid candidates for president. In any rational society they would have been laughed off the stage as the fools they are.

As someone who has been doing renewable energy design and development and living with it and on it since 1973 I have done as you suggest.
'Dedicate your thoughts to actual constructive energy, like being an example of 'clean' living, working and playing, sharing what works.'

I try and do this on a daily basis and with each step forward I see my efforts diminished by the schemes put forth by the same people you claim I'm bashing. If you haven't realized yet there is a war on. No not a war with guns and tanks.It's a war of ideas. People posing as our leaders do the bidding of a sick,perverted and depraved group of ideolog's who pull the strings and they are convincing far too many folks their ideas make sense. I'm tired of just sitting back and passively letting individuals who spew a prepackaged list of talking points go unchallenged. This site is as good a place as any as no real renewable energy development greater than the current 'peeing in the ocean' will ever come about once those who pull the strings behind the scenes gain the upper hand. They gain the upper hand by convincing the mindless to vote against their own self interests.

And yes I still maintain my position that at least %75 of the military budget is essentially a welfare program.

Comment
11 of 20

jamie-schlinkmann-149155

August 12, 2011

I'm confused. The military wants to invest in renewable energy via the private sector (through PPA's) to reduce its fossil fuel consumption, and that pisses people off?

It also is odd that people seem to blame the military for our involvement in overseas conflicts. Since when does the military decide where to go, who to shoot at, or even how much money they have to spend?

There's lots to critique about our policymaker's decisions lately but this article is more about something going right in government.

Comment
12 of 20

thomas-mayrand-14505

August 13, 2011

Well Jamie, could you imagine if all the renewable energy products made by the public, using the public's money, (I think that's where the gov. is getting the money) went directly back to the public, to people like you and me. We could be energy independent in no time. Why allow them to use a product, at our cost, for war purposes.

Comment
13 of 20

grandbill

August 13, 2011

Larry has a point, for did'nt Rome colapse from within while'st RT's sheeple were busy watching orgies? YOu are right Thomas the should be plenty of skills in the armed forces to build their own, your well right about the bleeding hearts larry, Mr Wagner tour probably right too. but you left this eighty year old in a state of elucidatory void,with those calculations,Larry loosing your rag a bit! but how many countries do you know that are not really ruled by oligarches,
dpier otti.!? definately not from yorkshire,?is trying to be helpful LIzz.Salt of the earth that lass. J schlinkman sounds like like one of them fellows,flying over our house in1940, with every intention of oblierating me and my Mum sat shivering in the coal celler but he has a point.yes I know im a silly old buff. I was looking forword to retiring to enjoy the luxurious indolence of balmy halcyon days,it didnt take long for that dream to vapourise having 10 wonderful grand children,and 6 incredable great grand children to keep prodding me on.

Comment
14 of 20

grandbill

August 13, 2011

Comment
15 of 20

hljmesa

August 13, 2011

larryofgalaxy,
The comments that YOU have made are exactly right. For those that do not understand the GREAT benefits that would result from the REDUCTION in the size of the Department of Offense, well, you need to think "outside of the box". The biggest "welfare agency" is the Department of Offense. And a lot of this money goes overseas. I too, do my part, to promote and use renewable energy: And I do not post anonymously.
http://www.mpsaz.org/rmhs/staff/hljohnson/solar_information/

Comment
16 of 20

jamie-schlinkmann-149155

August 13, 2011

Thomas,
Yes, of course it is public money that our military is spending. I am just glad that they are choosing to spend it on renewable energy instead of the alternatives. Don't get me wrong, I am all for shrinking our military. Those decisions however aren't made by military leaders, they're made by congress.

Also it should be noted that by writing PPA's, the military isn't making cash investments, they are only choosing to buy renewable energy from private developers instead of conventional energy from existing utilities. They may pay more to begin with but conventional prices rise and they save in the long run.

I can't understand why this is perceived as a bad thing, sounds to me like we have some great leaders in the military. BTW I completely agree that channeling more of the budget away from military spending toward renewables could improve our energy independence, but again congress holds those purse strings.

Comment
17 of 20

larryofgalaxy

August 13, 2011

'but again congress holds those purse strings'

And of course those purse strings are also locked firmly in the hands of those who bought that congress like a slab of beef and make massive profits on war and death ordered up by that same congress and a lap dog President. I could count on three fingers the politicians who have not completely prostituted themselves to the Economic Royalists who control these so called leaders like a pet dog and then pay for the propagandists (Fox,Limbaugh and other treasonous criminals) who daily fill the gullible with nonsense and lies. Like I said 'shut down the vast majority of these bases and do something of value with the money and the land'. Putting renewable energy on these bases rather than shutting them down or converting them to something more useful just encourages those who profit from them and leads them to believe we all approve of the military madness of excess and waste. Just remember there is no Department of Defense. There is now only the War Department. Perpetual war for perpetual peace as Gore Vidal so aptly wrote to describe America's love affair with war and killing. War and killing have now become a high priced form of sport for entertainment. A way to amuse the brain dead masses. A military theater of operations is now just a large scale modern day Roman Colosseum complete with dead Gladiators delivered up on a weekly schedule. Last big theatrical production staged for the 'one eyed Cyclops' better known as a TV was called Shock and Awe. Shock and awe as we literally murdered those who fought off the invaders of their country. And how did it become fashionable to begin calling paid mercenaries hero's. Yes! Renewable energy for a world gone mad.

Comment
18 of 20

PaulFelixSchott

August 15, 2011

The best would be for all to start using Solar Energy on their own Homes put your money were it will do real good. On Your roof with PV Solar Energy. Free Energy from the Sun. Cut the power line to you pocket book. GO OFF GRID. This way you will save the $8.00 to $9.00 dollars a month for the meter. $45.00 to $130.00 a Month bill and not to say the Evil the TAX on it all.

GOD Bless All
that Spotlight Solar and Renewable Energy

The Lord's Little Helper
Paul Felix Schott
PS
larryofgalaxy 'Roman Legion' Try Roman Empire the USA Government it needs to lower all Taxes Fed, State and local
Most of all Lower the TAX we pay on our LAND it is not theirs.

Comment
19 of 20

LizziE

August 16, 2011

Somewhat comforted, thanks Grandbill, and Mr. Schott. For a minute I thought I was sounding political, what a relief. I believe in concentrated solar power whoever pays for it, well really good for them! (us :~)Let not my dream be your nightmare dear larryogalaxy.
Lizz

Comment
20 of 20

Anonymous

August 16, 2011

Larryofgalaxy:
You are so confused: Just how can we possibly control the world should we bring our troops home?
Just think how much faster our shadow government is spending us into inevitable bankruptcy by funding all these political wars.

Not to mention how the world's population decreases to a level acceptable for the super rich.

Hang on folks for "they have only just begun."

Add Your Comment

Registered users, please make sure to Sign-In. We and others want to know your ideas and opinions. If you are not yet Registered -- it's quick and easy. Just click below.
Thanks!

NEW Smart Phone App

Robert Crowe

About:

Robert Crowe is a technical writer and reporter based in San Antonio, Texas. He has written for Bloomberg, the Houston Chronicle, Boston Herald, StreetAuthor... more »