Budget Cutting Could Impact Sustainable Energy Programs

D.C. Budget Battles Spur Creative Energy Solutions for Military

Jul 15, 2011 - As Democrats and Republicans {Tepublicans} in Washington, D.C. look for federal budget cuts to avoid a government shutdown crisis, the nation's military appears to be one of the few targets where there is hope for any consensus. Unfortunately, this budget cutting effort could impact cutting edge sustainable energy programs that support microgrids - small islands of self-sufficient power - which can not only save lives in Afghanistan and Iraq, but shrink fuel consumption. If the past is any guide, the U.S. Department of Defense's (DOD) push on innovation with microgrids could have major ramifications for the broader economy, replicating past successes with cutting edge technologies such as the Internet, GPS systems, computers, and airplanes.

The concept of "net zero energy" will drive adoption of microgrids, since it is virtually the only technology that can get the military where it needs to go. The Navy (including the Marines) has the most aggressive goals, with 50 percent of installations reaching this "net zero energy" goal by 2020. Another primary driver of the DOD market is the mandate to increase reliance upon renewable energy (25 percent of supply by 2025) a goal widely shared across the entire DOD portfolio of facilities per the 2007 National Defense Authorization Act. Given the lack of funding for capital expenses, military agencies will be leaning heavily on the private sector to help meet these aggressive deployment targets.

Of all government institutions, why is the DOD going green? read more>>>

The VA and other agencies have started moving into alternatives, or had started moving into.