by Shane Henson — August 17, 2011—Army officials recently announced the establishment of the Energy Initiatives Office (EIO) Task Force. The EIO Task Force, expected to be fully operational by September 15, 2011, is part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment, and will serve as the central managing office for the development of large-scale Army renewable energy projects.
According to Army officials, the new EIO Task Force is integral to the Army in addressing rising energy security challenges, escalating fuel prices, and stricter federal mandates.
As these are just a few of the pressing issues that facilities managers working for the Army and other military branches must contend with on a daily basis, they are likely to benefit from the EIO Task Force’s initiatives and the increase in the number of alternative energy projects generated from its findings.
The task force will work within the Army to streamline existing acquisition processes and leverage industry for the execution of large-scale renewable and alternative energy projects on Army installations. Army installations currently are pursuing renewable energy infrastructure, but often lack needed expertise. The EIO Task Force will fill this expertise gap and provide resources focused on working with the private sector to execute large-scale renewable energy projects.
