by Shane Henson — January 27, 2014—Deployment of clean energy technologies is accelerating across military installations operated by the U.S. Department of Defense, according to a report released last week by The Pew Charitable Trusts.
The report, Power Surge: Energy Security and the Department of Defense, examines how the military is using private-sector capabilities and harnessing innovative financing to obtain advanced energy systems. According to the report, the number of energy-saving and efficiency projects at military installations more than doubled from fiscal year 2010 to fiscal year 2012, from 630 to 1,339. The number of renewable energy projects increased from 454 to 700 during the same period.
According to Pew, the U.S. military spends $4 billion on energy costs annually to operate its bases. To lower energy costs and enhance security, the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps have initiated policies and measures to ensure near- and long-term progress in clean energy installation, including the widespread use of third-party financing, in which private developers assume responsibility for funding and maintaining projects.
According to Navigant Research, Pew’s clean energy research partner for this report, 384 megawatts of installed renewable energy capacity were installed on military facilities in mid-2013. By the end of 2018, it is estimated that renewable energy capacity on bases could increase more than fivefold, to 2.1 gigawatts (GW), enabling the military to meet its goal for the deployment of 3 GW of renewable energy by 2025. Currently, solar photovoltaic and biomass installations are forecast to account for the majority of new, renewable energy capacity at military facilities.
“The military’s clean energy installation initiatives are gathering momentum, enhancing base energy security,” said Phyllis Cuttino, who directs Pew’s project on national security, energy, and climate. “These improvements are possible even as the Pentagon’s budget is shrinking, because the armed services are harnessing private-sector expertise and resources. This is a win-win-win proposition: The military gets better energy infrastructure, taxpayer dollars are saved, and the clean energy industry is finding new market opportunities.”
