The Wall Street Journal takes a tour today of the Pentagon’s clean energy plans. It’s a fair and balanced piece — in the old, pre-Murdoch sense of the term. And it throws some needed cold water on a (slightly over-) enthusiastic essay I wrote for the current issue of Good magazine. In it, I get all rosy-glasses, counting off the military’s alt-power projects:
In September 2005, the federal government decreed that 7.5 percent of its power should come from renewable sources by 2013. The Pentagon is already there [and is headed towards 25 percent renewables by 2025]… In sunny San Diego, California, Naval Base Coronado’s solar power is saving the annual equivalent of 6,000 barrels of oil. Wind turbines help Warren Air Force Base in gusty Wyoming, keeping 4,866 tons of carbon dioxide emissions from escaping into the atmosphere per year. Then there are the nine military bases that are powered geothermally, by the heat of the earth. California’s Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake kicks off 270 megawatts of electricity, keeping lights turned on as far away as Los Angeles.
True, true. But while clean power is nice, the Journal notes, it’s small potatoes compared to the oil, gas, and jet fuel the Defense Department guzles:
In the past 20 years, [the military] has cut energy use at facilities 28%. Still, oil accounts for roughly 75% of total energy use. The military’s focus has been on saving power — also a laudable goal, critics say, but not an answer to dependence on oil…
The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have increased military fuel use by as much as 56,000 barrels a day. In addition, the military’s improved ability to deploy troops to battlefields comes at the cost of increased fuel use: today, more than half of the fuel consumed in combat theaters is used not by front-line soldiers but by supply convoy… The military uses fuel at twice the rate it did in the first Persian Gulf War and four times the rate it did in the Second World War.
Bottom line: It ain’t easy, getting to green.
UPDATE 5:10 PM: “The Air Force last month successfully demonstrated how hydrogen fuel cells could one day be used for generating power at forward operating bases and remote locations to help reduce the dependence of U.S. forces on local energy sources and foreign oil,” Inside Defense reports.
During the Dec. 14 test, officials from the services Advanced Power Technology Office studied how well a newly developed hydrogen fuel cell called the Multipurpose Electric Power System could provide electricity to halogen lights, comparing the results to the performance of a diesel generator now used in theater…
The demonstration was the latest in a series of tests under the offices tent city initiative, which examines new alternative energy technologies that may one day help U.S. forces in theater power equipment more efficiently.
UPDATE 01/10/07 11:38 AM: Last week, Defense News had an even deeper look at the military’s alt-fuel and alt-power conundrum.
With fuel prices escalating, Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, R-Md., is urging the Navy to go all-nuclear.
For now, only submarines and aircraft carriers are propelled by nuclear power. Thats about 80 of the Navys 286 ships. But Bartlett, who chaired the House Armed Services projection forces subcommittee, says its time for the nuclear Navy to grow. The line has already been crossed for big-deck amphibious ships, Bartlett said.
When oil hit $60 a barrel, it became more expensive to operate amphibs on oil than it would be on nuclear power, he said.
And we will shortly cross the line for cruisers, Bartlett said.
The Navy calculates that nuclear power becomes economical for cruisers after oil costs $80 a barrel, and for destroyers when oil costs about $205 a barrel.
But…cost is a major roadblock for nuclear-powered ships… Nuclear propulsion systems would add several hundred million dollars to each ship. The timing is not good. Congress is already distressed about escalating shipbuilding costs. Once they see the numbers, it will be very hard to convince them to go all-nuclear, he said…
[In the meantime,] the Navy also taking [smaller] steps to reduce energy consumption. It has installed bulbous bows and stern flaps on some of its ships. Each of these increases fuel efficiency by a few percentage points, according to John Young, the Pentagons director of research and engineering.
The Navy also is considering applying coatings to ship propellers to potentially get 4 or 5 percent savings in fuel efficiency and possibly some reductions in maintenance, Young told the House Armed Services Committee in September. It looks like it pays for itself in no more than about a year.
It looks like th US military is doing a good job going green.
But yeah…its obvious there still oil chuggers…if you build a building, you can put a solar field next to it, or a wind turbines…but there really isn’t any portable power device on the market. All electric just aint happening, because of many reasons like not allways having a place to plug it in at, and rechage time.
So over all, there doing good. I believe the army is still in the process of picking the HUMVEE replacement…what ever it is, it will be more efficient…so we will see a noticable decline in a couple years when they are in production.
These are just small steps. Without some serious action by the government there will be no big change.
There are fuel additives on the market that could actually save the military a great deal of money, improving fuel efficiency while cutting emissions. Fuel$AVER, inc. markets such a product that improves fuel economy on average 8% to 12% (based on over a billion fleet miles). It works in all internal combustion engines (gas or diesel) from 2-cycle engines to ships and locomotives. With potential millions of dollars in savings, it would save a lot of tax dollars and oil!
I have nt read anything ragrding air force test of b52 flying on 50% jet fuel produced from coal and burning 90% cleaner. Since we have more coal than Saudi has oil what are we waiting for.
Guess its time. If your a history buff or have access to a remaining WW II AAF vet ask about the 1943–44 bombing raids on Hitler’s synthetic fuel production. It is interesting… accounted for 67% of their fuel for the war. I wonder why our industry people testified how it would take years and millions of dollars for us to figure out how to do it? The big bonus checks they got for figuring out how to stickit to the people these last few years would probably have been enough to both figure it out and build the plants.
Its good that the military is getting more ‘green’ or ‘clean’ or however you want to call it. Its great that they’re setting the example.
There will be a big improvement when the Army replaces its current vehicles with hybrids in the FCS.
As for Nuke ships– well the initial cost is high, some countries don’t like having a floating Chernoble pull into port, and disposal costs are high.
Then there is the terrorist problem. The Cole is about the same size as the last generation of nuclear cruisers– ripping a hole in one could cause some major problems.
?????
???????
?????????
??????????????
Alderley Edge Hockey Club
L1011 Corporation
Asbury United Methodist Church
Pension Alexandra
Advanced SCADA and Telemetering
AFA Dot First Aid & Safety
83 London Signal Squadron
Absolutecents.net
Three Journeys Left
Adolescent Health Associates
Adkins Motorsports
1st-MP.com
Abridge Insurance Services
Best Western Terrace Inn
I played RO that I used the first account was a girl number of wave, a knight. The number also has a little ro zeny. I still remember that the world has just stepped into the RO; I stood the door of Pulongdela South, I even have my own way can not see, I looked at the lawn in front of do not know how to operate. At that time, wave on the line, he stood outside and said: come out, come out to see, use a mouse.
In order to play the Requiem, I bought much Requiem Lant, it spend me much money.
Therefore, I diligently practiced the level to promote, only then promote only then can help me to save many cheap 2moons gold.
Threemans, one of the Thelaiosisians had suggested to the Goddess that creating two more Shaiya gold races, the Nordein and the Dumianas, would dramatically help aid the progression of prosperity in Teos. Soon after, with the help of Threemas, the Nordein and Dumianas were created.
Perhaps that I should not accept your gift and your Habbo Coins.
For in the game I can have a family, I was go all out to work make Lord Of The Rings Gold, so long as there were the methods which could make money I has tried.
You said that who dares to annoy me and you will look for him to PK, and make him lose his all lastchaos money.
I loused around by myself for several days in Jiu Long Mountain, felt a little lonely suddenly, so I buy hero gold to play with higher players and then started the crazy add somebody as a good friend.
So I spent some mabinogi gold to study. After school study the lovable gray wolf became collapses at the first blow.
After a few days, with the classmate help slowly I can earn the flyff money in the game, beginning has a little understand for the game.
he did not know how to do could let the girl no longer apartness. So he decided to spend much more money to buy the Archlord money for the girl.
friends are all admired us. I already did not know in this half a year, he spends how much money to buy the fiesta money for me, I only know that he was very love me, I also very love he too.
Of course the Metin2 yang can bring funs. I believed that you will love this Metin2 gold new game.
If you want to Buy metin2 gold you can go to the company. I hope that we will become good friends in the Cheap metin2 gold game.
Why focus on the oil-chugging past and criticize what’s happening? Every barrel saved is a few less dollars finding their way to wahabist-loving sheikhs and mullahs.
Go green for tactical reasons!
Semper Fi
TacticallyGreen.com