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. US Navy 110803-N-UN340-067 A view of solar panels recently installed on the roof of Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command Headquarters, Old Town.jpg
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]

Contents

General

The military recognizes that renewable energy can provide improvements in force safety and budget stability as well as mitigate climate change so it has several programs working on deploying alternative energy at major facilities and in forward operating bases. Admiral Samuel J. Locklear has called climate change the biggest concern for the United States military. [2] [3]

Air Force

The Air Force is the largest user of fuel energy in the federal government. The Air Force uses 10% of the nation's aviation fuel. (JP-8 accounts for nearly 90% of its fuels.) This fuel usage breaks down as such: 82% jet fuel, 16% facility management and 2% ground vehicle/equipment. [4] To meet renewable energy goals, the Air Force plans to certify its entire fleet on coal-to-liquid synthetic fuel blends by 2011. By 2016, it plans to fuel half of its domestic transportation by US-produced synthetic blends, including blends of biofuels and jetfuels, known as Hydrotreated Renewable Jet (HRJ). [5] The Air Force is currently the leading purchaser of renewable energy within the Federal government and has been a long time pioneer of renewable energy development and leadership. The Air Force is recognized by 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 Memorandum of Understanding with the U.S. Department of Energy to facilitate cooperation and accelerate research, development, and deployment of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. [5] DoD's Energy Conservation Investment Program (ECIP) improves the energy and water efficiency of existing Military Services' facilities. The program's projects help the Military Services save on energy usage and cost. [8] The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provided $120 million for the ECIP. [ citation needed ] The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 has also given money for the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, 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 renewable energy strategies in Iraq. [9] Strategies include the Tactical Garbage to Energy Refinery Program, which converts 1 short ton (0.91 t) of waste to 11 US gal (42 L) of JP-8 fuel, a photovoltaic flexible, portable mat, insulating foam technology, hybrid-electric Manned Ground Vehicles (MGV), and highly efficient portable cells. [9] The 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 Department of the Navy established Task Force Energy to focus on meeting energy goals, which include reducing non-tactical petroleum use in the commercial fleet by 50 percent by 2015, producing at least 50 percent of shore based energy from alternative sources by 2050, acquiring 50 percent of total energy from alternative sources by 2020, and having 50 percent of Navy and Marine Corps installations be net-zero by 2020. [5] [14] The Navy hopes to demonstrate a Green 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

Related Research Articles

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Renewable energy is energy from renewable natural resources that are replenished on a human timescale. The most widely used renewable energy types are solar energy, wind power, and hydropower. Bioenergy and geothermal power are also significant in some countries. Some also consider nuclear power a renewable power source, although this is controversial. Renewable energy installations can be large or small and are suited for both urban and rural areas. Renewable energy is often deployed together with further electrification. This has several benefits: electricity can move heat and vehicles efficiently and is clean at the point of consumption. Variable renewable energy sources are those that have a fluctuating nature, such as wind power and solar power. In contrast, controllable renewable energy sources include dammed hydroelectricity, bioenergy, or geothermal power.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jet fuel</span> Type of aviation fuel

Jet fuel or aviation turbine fuel is a type of aviation fuel designed for use in aircraft powered by gas-turbine engines. It is colorless to straw-colored in appearance. The most commonly used fuels for commercial aviation are Jet A and Jet A-1, which are produced to a standardized international specification. The only other jet fuel commonly used in civilian turbine-engine powered aviation is Jet B, which is used for its enhanced cold-weather performance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Renewable Energy Laboratory</span> United States national laboratory

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in the US specializes in the research and development of renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy systems integration, and sustainable transportation. NREL is a federally funded research and development center sponsored by the Department of Energy and operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, a joint venture between MRIGlobal and Battelle. Located in Golden, Colorado, NREL is home to the National Center for Photovoltaics, the National Bioenergy Center, and the National Wind Technology Center.

Renewable fuels are fuels produced from renewable resources. Examples include: biofuels, Hydrogen fuel, and fully synthetic fuel produced from ambient carbon dioxide and water. This is in contrast to non-renewable fuels such as natural gas, LPG (propane), petroleum and other fossil fuels and nuclear energy. Renewable fuels can include fuels that are synthesized from renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar. Renewable fuels have gained in popularity due to their sustainability, low contributions to the carbon cycle, and in some cases lower amounts of greenhouse gases. The geo-political ramifications of these fuels are also of interest, particularly to industrialized economies which desire independence from Middle Eastern oil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Energy security</span> National security considerations of energy availability

Energy security is the association between national security and the availability of natural resources for energy consumption. Access to cheaper energy has become essential to the functioning of modern economies. However, the uneven distribution of energy supplies among countries has led to significant vulnerabilities. International energy relations have contributed to the globalization of the world leading to energy security and energy vulnerability at the same time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solar power plants in the Mojave Desert</span> Supplies power to the electricity grid using excellent solar radiation

There are several solar power plants in the Mojave Desert which supply power to the electricity grid. Insolation in the Mojave Desert is among the best available in the United States, and some significant population centers are located in the area. These plants can generally be built in a few years because solar plants are built almost entirely with modular, readily available materials. Solar Energy Generating Systems (SEGS) is the name given to nine solar power plants in the Mojave Desert which were built in the 1980s, the first commercial solar plant. These plants have a combined capacity of 354 megawatts (MW) which made them the largest solar power installation in the world, until Ivanpah Solar Power Facility was finished in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Renewable energy commercialization</span> Deployment of technologies harnessing easily replenished natural resources

Renewable energy commercialization involves the deployment of three generations of renewable energy technologies dating back more than 100 years. First-generation technologies, which are already mature and economically competitive, include biomass, hydroelectricity, geothermal power and heat. Second-generation technologies are market-ready and are being deployed at the present time; they include solar heating, photovoltaics, wind power, solar thermal power stations, and modern forms of bioenergy. Third-generation technologies require continued R&D efforts in order to make large contributions on a global scale and include advanced biomass gasification, hot-dry-rock geothermal power, and ocean energy. In 2019, nearly 75% of new installed electricity generation capacity used renewable energy and the International Energy Agency (IEA) has predicted that by 2025, renewable capacity will meet 35% of global power generation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Renewable energy in the United States</span>

According to data from the US Energy Information Administration, renewable energy accounted for 8.4% of total primary energy production and 21% of total utility-scale electricity generation in the United States in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solar power in the United States</span>

Solar power includes solar farms as well as local distributed generation, mostly on rooftops and increasingly from community solar arrays. In 2023, utility-scale solar power generated 164.5 terawatt-hours (TWh), or 3.9% of electricity in the United States. Total solar generation that year, including estimated small-scale photovoltaic generation, was 238 TWh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Renewable energy industry</span> Electric energy utility industry

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aviation biofuel</span> Sustainable fuel used to power aircraft

An aviation biofuel is a biofuel used to power aircraft and is a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The International Air Transport Association (IATA) considers it a key element in reducing the environmental impact of aviation. Aviation biofuel is used to decarbonize medium and long-haul air travel. These types of travel generate the most emissions, and could extend the life of older aircraft types by lowering their carbon footprint. Synthetic paraffinic kerosene (SPK) refers to any non-petroleum-based fuel designed to replace kerosene jet fuel, which is often, but not always, made from biomass.

Renewable energy in Tuvalu is a growing sector of the country's energy supply. Tuvalu has committed to sourcing 100% of its electricity from renewable energy. This is considered possible because of the small size of the population of Tuvalu and its abundant solar energy resources due to its tropical location. It is somewhat complicated because Tuvalu consists of nine inhabited islands. The Tuvalu National Energy Policy (TNEP) was formulated in 2009, and the Energy Strategic Action Plan defines and directs current and future energy developments so that Tuvalu can achieve the ambitious target of 100% renewable energy for power generation by 2020. The program is expected to cost 20 million US dollars and is supported by the e8, a group of 10 electric companies from G8 countries. The Government of Tuvalu worked with the e8 group to develop the Tuvalu Solar Power Project, which is a 40 kW grid-connected solar system that is intended to provide about 5% of Funafuti’s peak demand, and 3% of the Tuvalu Electricity Corporation's annual household consumption.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Energy policy of the Barack Obama administration</span> American presidential policy

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Renewable energy debate</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solar power in Georgia (U.S. state)</span> Overview of solar power in the U.S. state of Georgia

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Energy in Hawaii</span> Overview of energy resources in Hawaii, US

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Energy subsidies in the United States</span> Government aid to reduce fuel costs

Energy subsidies are government payments that keep the price of energy lower than market rate for consumers or higher than market rate for producers. These subsidies are part of the energy policy of the United States.

Denmark is a leading country in renewable energy production and usage. Renewable energy sources collectively produced 81% of Denmark's electricity generation in 2022, and are expected to provide 100% of national electric power production from 2030. Including energy use in the heating/cooling and transport sectors, Denmark is expected to reach 100% renewable energy in 2050, up from the 34% recorded in 2021.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Lengyel, Colonel, USAF, Gregory J. (August 2007). "Department of Defense Energy Strategy: Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks" (PDF). 21st Century Defense Initiative Foreign Policy Studies. Washington, D.C.: 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. 1 2 3 4 5 "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. 1 2 3 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. 27 June 2011. 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. ↑ Closson, Stacy (2013-10-01). "The military and energy: Moving the United States beyond oil". Energy Policy. 61: 306–316. Bibcode:2013EnPol..61..306C. doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2013.05.102. 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

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