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.