TODAY’S STUDY: SOLAR SIGNS UP

Enlisting the Sun: Powering the U.S. Military with Solar Energy

May 17, 2013 (Solar Energy Industries Association)

Overview

• Solar plays a critical role in making the military’s energy supply more secure, distributed, affordable and independent. The DoD has committed to meet 25% of its energy needs with renewable energy by 2025.

• The Navy, Army and Air Force have each implemented aggressive plans that are increasing the U.S. investment in solar and encouraging innovation in the industry.

• As of early 2013, there are more than 130 megawatts (MW) of solar photovoltaic (PV) energy systems powering Navy, Army and Air Force bases in at least 31 states and the District of Columbia. Combined, these installations provide enough clean energy to power 22,000 American homes.

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• Investment in solar energy technologies to power the armed forces will lower electricity bills, reduce carbon emissions and promote energy security at military installations across the country.

• The U.S. Dept. of Defense (DoD) is the largest energy consumer in the world, with a $20 billion annual energy bill. Each year, the military uses as much energy as the entire state of Oregon.

• As DoD budgets decline following federal sequestration, solar installations can help to rein in the military’s vast energy bill ($20 billion). Solar Boosts National Security

• Today, from security and battlefield readiness to cost savings and efficiency, America’s military is turning increasingly to solar energy as a way to become an even more effective fighting force.

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• In Afghanistan, our troops on the front lines are using everything from portable solar panels to solar tent shields to solar-powered security systems to help them successfully carry out critical missions.

• According to the New York Times, much of the solar technology being used by the military today is commercially available or has been adapted for the battlefield from readily available consumer products.

• In recent years, the Pentagon has become increasingly concerned about on overdependence on fossil fuels. The military buys gas for just over $1 a gallon, but getting that gasoline to forward bases in Afghanistan costs $400 per gallon.

• By utilizing more solar, U.S. Marines say they are not only saving money – but potentially lives, as well. Solar is helping to reduce the number of truck convoys needed to transport fuel, which are often the targets of attacks by insurgents or victims of IEDs. Our military has suffered more than 3,300 casualties over the past decade from attacks on fuel convoys.

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Current actions + goals

• In recent years, the Navy, Army and Air Force have each implemented aggressive plans that have put the U.S. military on a path to significantly expand its use of clean, renewable solar energy. Each branch has outlined ambitious renewable energy targets that will drive 3 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy installations by 2025.

• All of these targets have been designed to help meet a wider DoD mandate, title 10 USC 2911, that requires 25 percent of total facility energy consumption to come from renewable energy sources by 2025.

• The military has increasingly turned to solar energy to address DoD objectives and meet its renewables targets.

• Solar has proven an effective alternative to traditional energy sources in a variety of roles for the DoD: large, centralized utility-scale solar projects to power bases; smaller, distributed-generation (DG) systems to supply buildings and homes; and portable solar systems to provide crucial energy on the battlefield.

• As of early 2013, there are more than 130 megawatts (MW) of solar photovoltaic (PV) energy systems powering Navy, Army and Air Force bases in at least 31 states and the District of Columbia. Combined, these installations provide enough clean energy to power 22,000 American homes.

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Navy

• To date, the Navy has installed more solar than either the Army or Air Force, with more than 58 MW at or near bases in 12 states and DC.

• The Navy plans to obtain 50% of its energy from renewable sources by 2025.

• Solar is expected to be instrumental in the Navy’s efforts to meet these goals in the upcoming years. PV comprises 57 percent of all DON planned renewable energy capacity additions from 2012 to 2017 and provides the Navy with a more secure and independent generation mix.

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Air Force

• The Air Force currently has 38 MW of solar capacity operating in 24 states, enough to power more than 5,600 American homes.

• As the largest consumer of energy in the DoD, the Air Force has taken proactive and accelerated measures to diversify its generation mix and reduce energy costs. In the spring of 2012, the Air Force announced it would procure 1 GW of renewable power by 2016, exceeding all DoD mandates.

• PV is planned to account for over 70 percent of all new Air Force renewable energy capacity added from 2012 to 2017.

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Army

• The Army currently has more than 36 MW of solar installed at different bases in at least 16 states, enough to power well over 5,000 American homes.

• The Army has also implemented plans to procure 1 GW of renewable energy capacity in an effort to satisfy the DoD’s 25 percent renewables by 2025 mandate.

• Solar comprises a third of the Army’s planned renewable generating capacity additions from 2012 to 2017.

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