why america’s military is investing billions in green energy
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America’s military is spending billions of dollars to go green. These investments include more mainstream solar projects from companies like SolarCity and SunPower as well as some projects that are still in the development phase.TRANSCRIPT
Why America’s Military is Investing Billions in Green Energy
Photo credit: Flickr/U.S. Army Environmental Command
The U.S. Department of Defense set a goal to have the military generate 25% of its power from renewable sources by 2025.
Photo credit: Flickr/U.S. Army
This included $7 billion being invested in the renewable energy technologies wind, solar, geothermal and biomass.
Photo credit: Flickr/Image courtesy of Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Wind Energy Program
Some of these investments have been on big solar energy projects:
Project SolarStrong will provide solar power to up to 120,000 military housing units.
SunPower built and is now expanding one of the single largest solar systems in the U.S. at Nellis Air Force Base.
Others investments will be on wind projects. The military has already awarded 17 contracts to private companies to build wind
turbines on Department of Defense facilities.
The military is also working with six companies on geothermal projects….
Photo credit: Flickr/ThinkGeoEnergy
…and 17 different companies on biomass
projects.Photo credit: Flickr/Savannah River Site
While the bulk of the military’s investments are on large utility scale facilities, these aren’t the only investments the
military is making in green energy.
Photo credit: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District
The U.S. Navy is testing advanced biofuels to fuel its ships.
Photo credit: Flickr/Official U.S. Navy Page
Flexible solar shade panels Photo credit: U.S. Army Africa
Flexible Solar panels can be used to recharge laptop computers and other battlefield components.
Photo credit: U.S. Army Africa
Photo credit: U.S. Army Africa
Meanwhile, the Army is testing flexible solar panels for battlefield applications.
Solar-powered water purification system. Photo credit: U.S. Army RDECOM
Sun control window film designed to reduce solar heat.
Photo credit: U.S. Army RDECOM
In addition to that the military is considering a vast array of new energy technologies to save energy.
Army demo Humvee, FED
Alpha, has all of the capabilities of
an up-armored Humvee but it burns 70% less
fuel.
Going green really matters to the military.
Photo credit: Flickr/U.S. Army
Photo credit: Flickr/The U.S. Army
Then, in 2010 there were around 1,100 attacks on U.S. fuel
convoys.
Tragically, 3,000 soldiers and contractors died in
refueling missions in Iraq from 2003-2007.
Photo credit: Flickr/Expert Infantry
Overall, the Department of Defense uses more than 300,000 barrels of oil
per day.
That’s more than three-quarter of the countries of the world.
Needless to say, the military has compelling reasons to end its addition to oil. That’s why it’s investing billions on green energy.
Photo credit: Flickr/Eli Christman
This is becoming OPEC’s worst nightmare.