U.S. Army Ready to Spur Massive Investments in Renewable Energy
For years, the Department of Defense and all branches of the military have been strategically incorporating renewable energy into their operations. Recent success stories regarding the use of lighter and less explosive power sources, such as solar in Afghanistan, are further building the profile of renewables as a tool in our national security strategy.
On August 10, 2011, the Army announced that it will establish an Energy Initiatives Office (EIO) Task Force by September 15. The EIO Task Force will be 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.
In discussing the Task Force, John M. McHugh, Secretary of the Army, stated that “To meet a goal of 25 percent renewable energy by 2025, the Army must use every opportunity to be energy efficient and draw power from alternative and/or renewable energy sources.” In pursuit of this mission, the Task Force will "streamlin[e] our business practices so developers can invest in and build an economically viable, large-scale renewable energy infrastructure,” said McHugh.
The scale of renewable energy production the Army needs in order to provide enhanced energy security is estimated to require investment up to $7.1 billion over the next 10 years. This level of investment is expected to generate 2.1 million megawatt hours of power annually for the Army.
In short, the EIO Task Force will streamline existing acquisition processes most likely in the pursuit of public-private partnerships whereby private industry executes large-scale renewable and alternative energy projects on Army installations. These partnerships will help the Army to overcome its lack of expertise in pursuing renewable energy infrastructure.
Through the EIO Task Force, the Army is planning to conduct an aggressive outreach effort to attract and engage private industry to foster strategic and financial collaboration in support of the Army’s installation energy needs.
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