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Robyn: Defense Department Fills Void in Clean Energy Testing
February 9, 2012
WASHINGTON – February 9, 2012 – The Defense Department continues to develop innovative methods of creating and using clean energy to power its buildings and installations, as well as serve as a test bed for the civilian community, a senior Defense Department official said yesterday.
Dorothy Robyn, deputy undersecretary of defense for installations and environment, told an audience during the Clean Defense Summit here, that DOD has used a test program since 2009 to lead the charge in developing clean energy methods.
“It was created by a national treasure of a guy on my staff, named Jeff Marqusee, who runs our environmental [research and development] programs,” she said.
“[He] has done something very similarly in the environmental area using our installations as a test bed for precommercial environmental technology and has just scored some huge successes,” she said. “So I think that we can play a very powerful role here.”
There is a “valley of depth” in energy technology for which the test bed can fill in some ground, Robyn said.
“Because we have 300,000 buildings, it’s in our self-interest to try to help get technology through that valley of depth — to get companies over that hurdle,” she said.
“And the way we do that is by consciously taking on that risk as a busy, first adopter,” Robyn added. “It’s in our interests. If I test 10 new technologies, and seven of them work and three don’t, I can deploy the seven that work very broadly and come out way ahead.”
Few building owners have enough properties to be in that position, except for retail giant Wal-Mart, she said. “And Wal-Mart, not surprisingly, has its own energy test beds. But it’s focused solely on big-box stores whereas ours is broader than that.”
The test bed awards $30 million annually, and last year received 600 proposals for 27 projects, Robyn explained.
“It was intensely competitive,” she said. “But it’s a pretty painless process.”
Robyn also discussed a micro turbine technology being tested at Fort Benning, Ga., that could also prove to be useful for other industrial corporations.
“We have a lot of very old landfills,” she said. “We can no longer generate electricity from the methane coming out these landfills.”
“In fact, we have to flare off the methane which actually consumes energy,” Robyn noted. “If this technology works … at Fort Benning right now, it’s producing electricity out of this very low quality, low BTU methane gas.”
Robyn said the technology will be tested a few more months to ensure there is no negative on area wildlife.
“This is the great joy of … demonstration and validation – you never know what you’re going to encounter,” she said. “But it looks like it’s going to be a winner. And there are a lot of people watching this, and if it works here it will at dozens of other DOD landfills.”
Source: American Forces Press Service
DOD Announces Winners of $18.0 Million Fund to Improve Battlefield Energy Security
January 31, 2012
WASHINGTON – January 31, 2012. The Department of Defense (DoD) today announced the release of $18.0 million to fund six military programs to reduce the energy demand of future expeditionary outposts. The funds will support efforts to develop and rapidly transition energy technologies for the combat force, resulting in improved military capabilities, fewer energy-related casualties, and lower costs for the taxpayer.
“It’s essential that we continue to develop innovative energy solutions to advance our military missions and use our precious resources wisely,” said Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta. “The Department is taking the lead on this because saving energy on the battlefield means saving lives and money.”
Fuel can be a tactical and operational vulnerability on the battlefield. In the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, adversaries have frequently targeted U.S. fuel supply convoys, putting troop lives and missions at risk and diverting combat forces and dollars to force protection.
“A military force that uses energy more strategically is stronger, today and in the future,” said Sharon E. Burke, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Operational Energy and Programs. “As the Department reshapes the force to build a more agile, flexible military capable of responding to the full range of future challenges, the work of the six teams funded under this effort will give our troops better energy options on the battlefield.”
Defense Department-led teams representing the military services and the Department of Energy will receive the funds. To link small businesses and entrepreneurs to the teams, DoD will host an information session in March, along with the Small Business Administration. More information about this event can be found at www.acq.osd.mil/osbp/operationalenergy.
“An important objective of this fund is reaching sources of energy innovation new to the Department, which primarily are small businesses,” said Andre Gudger, Director of the Department’s Office of Small Business Programs. “By leveraging small businesses and entrepreneurs to accelerate energy innovation for our warfighters, we strengthen our security, modernize our industrial base, and promote economic development at the same time.”
Winning teams were chosen based on submissions to a June 2011 call for program proposals. Additional information about the teams can be found at: http://energy.defense.gov. The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Operational Energy Plans and Programs, a position established in 2009 to strengthen the energy security of military operations, will administer the funds. Congress provided resources for these programs in the 2012 Omnibus Appropriations Act.
Source: U.S. Department of Defense
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President Praises DOD’s Energy Leadership
January 26, 2012
WASHINGTON, Jan. 26, 2012 – President Barack Obama traveled to Buckley Air Force Base near Denver today to praise the military for “doing its part” – not just in the nation’s defense, but also as leaders in energy conservation.
Obama delivered his message at the home of the 460th Space Wing in Aurora, Colo., calling the “green” initiatives being advanced here indicative of the Defense Department’s clean-energy focus.
The Air Force has installed a 1-megawatt solar array on the base, and last year test piloted jets there that run on advanced biofuels, demonstrating a key technology that reduces U.S. dependence on foreign oil.
Joined today by Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, and Sharon Burke, assistant secretary of defense for operational energy, Obama praised them for their work with Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta “to keep our military the strongest in the world, and to make our military more energy efficient.”
“Now, it’s important for the military to do its part because … our military is the largest energy consumer in the world,” the president said. “So we can set a good example, and help create an additional market for clean energy.”
Obama noted that the Navy plans to buy enough clean energy to power 250,000 homes a year, through an effort that won’t cost taxpayers a dime.
“What does it mean?” he asked the crowd, a mix of military members, students in clean energy programs and local energy stakeholders. “It means that the world’s largest consumer of energy, the Department of Defense, is making one of the largest commitments to clean energy in history.”
That commitment will grow the clean-energy market and ultimately strengthen U.S. energy security, he said.
Obama recognized that DOD isn’t embracing clean energy simply because “it feels good,” but also because it makes economic sense.
“Our number one priority is always the security of this nation,” he emphasized. And “what our military understands is that if we’re smart on energy that saves DOD budgets that allow them to do a whole bunch of other things.”
Alternatives to fossil fuels also are important to national security, the president told the crowd. “The less we depend on foreign oil, the more secure we become as a nation,” he said.
The president noted Mabus’ point that the U.S. dependence on foreign fossil fuels creates a vulnerability that could affect its ability to operate its military ships, aircraft and vehicles.
That’s why, Obama explained, the Navy in December made the government’s largest-ever purchase of biofuel. ”This summer, that fuel will power ships and subs during the world’s largest naval exercise,” he said, a reference to the biennial Rim of the Pacific exercise.
Obama also noted that the Navy’s F/A-18 Green Hornet is powered by a 50/50 biofuel blend. And last year, the Air Force flew an A-10 Thunderbolt entirely on alternative fuels – a first for the military.
“Overall, the Air Force is on track to save $500 million in fuel costs over the next five years because you guys have changed the way you operate. Think about that: half a billion dollars,” he told the audience, drawing big applause.
Obama also expounded on the plan he introduced during his Jan. 24 State of the Union address to reduce America’s fuel dependency, make it more secure, improve the environment and create jobs. In addition to promoting more green programs in the military, it includes opening public lands for private clean-energy investments and providing tax incentives to the domestic clean-energy sector.
As he delivered his message, the president praised the 460th Space Wing and other military members at Buckley and thanked them for their service.
“During a decade of war, these folks — so many of you – exhibited the very best of America: courage, selflessness, teamwork,” he said.
Reiterating his remarks during his State of the Union address, he told them, “You’ve exceeded all expectations, because you focus on your mission; you work together; you get the job done.”
Source: American Forces Press Service
Navy Task Force Energy Director Addresses USS Bonhomme Richard
January 13, 2012
SAN DIEGO (NNS) — January 13, 2012. The director of Navy Task Force Energy (TFE) addressed Sailors and families aboard USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) during the ship’s Family Day Cruise Jan. 12.
Rear Adm. Philip Cullom praised the crew for their leadership and sacrifice in serving the nation. The ship will depart San Diego in February to join forward deployed naval forces in Sasebo, Japan, replacing USS Essex (LHD 2).
“I am honored to be a part of today’s celebration. I have been tracking the successes of this ship and its crew from across this country and have been repeatedly impressed by your legacy of accomplishments. That’s why I’m here,” said Cullom.
“As the crew for the ‘Revolutionary Gator,’ you have been on the cutting edge for doing your mission using innovation and efficiency for a long time. It is no wonder you’ve been recognized by numerous energy award programs, year after year, for your judicious use of energy. You are leading the way for the rest of the Navy and a spartan use of resources is clearly in the ‘DNA and blood’ of this command.”
Among the award programs recognizing Bonhomme Richard’s past accomplishments are the SECNAV Energy and Water Management Awards, Incentivized Energy Conservation (I-ENCON) program, and the coveted Battle “E.”
“It is no surprise that this ship and crew have chased and achieved excellence in all of these endeavors, including the ultimate measure of battle effectiveness and preparedness, the Battle ‘E’. You ‘get it’ that energy frugality is about combat capability. Your Spartan warfighting ethos will continue to give this command its competitive edge, particularly as we send you, some of our premier energy warriors, to the forward deployed naval forces in the western Pacific.
“But we understand you can’t do it alone. We need the commitment of every individual in the Navy. That is why MCPON (Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (SS/SW) Rick D. West) is establishing an Executive Steering Committee made up of key senior enlisted leadership from all warfighting communities to advise Navy’s Task Force Energy. It is also why the secretary of the Navy announced at the 2011 Naval Energy Forum that “starting now, energy is going to be one of the elements of getting the Battle ‘E’.” These are landmark decisions that enhance warfighting capability by linking energy to mission effectiveness, while also listening to those closest to the challenge,” Cullom said.
Cullom said West formed the Executive Steering Committee in early 2012. The goal is to bring game changing ideas and best management practices from the deck plate to inform TFE on how to foster a Navy-wide culture of Spartan energy warriors.
“As director of Task Force Energy, I want to bottle the ‘Revolutionary Gator’ culture and give it to the rest of our Sailors and Marines,” said Cullom.
The ESC will be led by Force Master Chief (AW/SW) Christopher Engles, commander, Navy Installations Command and include five Force master chiefs from across the Navy.
“Force Engles is the right leader for this job. Like you, he understands that energy efficiency is about having that competitive edge as a warfighter,” said Cullom.”
“I am impressed by the dedication of the Bonhomme Richard crew and their families,” said Cullom. Thanks to their innovation, leadership and commitment, we will continue to be the most formidable fighting force for good the world has ever known,” said Cullom.
Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus laid out five aggressive energy goals in October 2009 to improve energy security and efficiency afloat and ashore, increase our energy independence, and help lead the nation toward a clean energy economy.
For more information about the Navy’s Energy Program, visit www.greenfleet.dodlive.mil or www.facebook.com/navalenergy.
To follow USS Bonhomme Richard, visit https://www.facebook.com/ussbhr.
For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.
For more news from Chief of Naval Operations Energy and Environmental Readiness Division, visit www.navy.mil/local/n45/.
Source: U.S. Navy
Army Environmental Secretary Touts Post Efficiency Efforts
January 12, 2012
FORT BENNING, Ga. – January 12, 2012. The Army’s Assistant Secretary for Installations, Energy and Environment put her stamp of approval on Fort Benning’s management of the $3.5 billion in construction and restoration that went into building the Maneuver Center of Excellence while making her first post visit this week.
Katherine Hammack, a founding member of the U.S. Green Building Council, serves as the primary adviser to the Army secretary and chief of staff on all matters related to installation policy and energy security and management. Hammack spent Wednesday and Thursday touring the installation, receiving updates on Fort Benning’s various projects and strides toward energy efficiencies.
Compared to other installations, Fort Benning has been a longtime stalwart in curtailing energy use, Hammack said Thursday as she wrapped up her stop with a walk through the National Infantry Museum.
“The energy used per square foot here is among the lowest in the Army, which tells me they’ve been doing a good job for a long time,” she said, adding some lighting retrofits on post were started back in the 1970s and 1980s. “I was impressed with the focus on energy that has been here for a long time.”
The secretary got a look at the FlexEnergy methane-processor site on Harmony Church, the Army’s only power plant built to convert waste gas into electricity. She also cited the low-speed wind turbine on the air-conditioning unit outside a Warrior Transition Battalion barracks — installed last summer to turn exhaust into reusable energy — as another example of how Fort Benning is “piloting new technology.”
“They’re willing to try other things people haven’t tried before, to see if it’s good for our Army and our nation,” she said. “All the buildings here were built to be very energy efficient to appropriately store the resources we have, because we’re all concerned about the availability of electricity and water.
“When we build a building in the appropriate manner, or remodel and retrofit a building in an appropriate manner, it uses less water (and) less energy. And it is appropriate for our future because we want to ensure these buildings are around for the next 50 or 100 years.”
Hammack said the MCoE has been an exceptional steward of the environment, too.
As a whole, the Army is responsible for maintaining the habitats of more than 200 endangered species, she said. Fort Benning’s most famous might be the red-cockaded woodpecker, which coexists without disruption alongside small-weapons fire and tank maneuvers.
“The installation is doing a great job recognizing that we have a responsibility to the future of these species, and it can be compatible with our mission,” she said.
Hammack said the objective for all Army posts is “Net Zero,” the program in which installations aim to use as much energy and natural resources as they’re able to generate on site. Fort Benning is working to increase its use of alternative energy in an effort to strike an “appropriate balance,” she said.
As the U.S. military withdraws from Iraq and Afghanistan, however, the Department of Defense faces the challenge of shrinking budgets as it attempts to reach its environmental and efficiency goals, the secretary said. The Army has been granted congressional authority to seek out energy-saving performance contracts. She said the private sector can invest in a facility, and installations pay for that investment out of the energy savings it yields.
“They help us identify areas where we can save energy and identify what the cost is to save it and what the return on investment is,” she said. “That’s how the private sector is helping the Army in an era where we have declining budgets.”
Lt. Gen. Michael Ferriter, the former MCoE commander and new commanding general at Installation Management Command, was back at Fort Benning and accompanied Hammack on some stops around the installation.
The general played a role in the planning behind the massive construction and renovation projects on post. He said the modernization expertise, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards, and “green” measures employed by engineers ultimately will lower energy use and costs while pumping savings back into the Army’s operational budget.
“As we cut the energy costs, that allows us to put the money into weapons systems, training and Family programs. It’s an absolute win-win,” he said. “It’s a cultural change. We have to teach our leaders and Soldiers to be good at saving energy, and at the same time not lose sight of the fact it’s the best Army in the world, and Fort Benning provides the best training in the world.”
Source: U.S. Army
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