One out of eight U.S. Army casualties in Iraq was the result of protecting fuel convoys.
It costs up to $40-a-gallon to get fuel into remote and dangerous places.
This statistic is a driver behind the U.S. military’s plunge into renewable [generate on site electricity] energy. The DoD is quickly becoming a leading buyer of cutting-edge renewable energy technology.
War zones present to a different set of cost-benefit calculations than civilian life – such as the lives lost protecting fuel convoys and the $40-a-gallon price tag. For the armed services, the benefits of generate-on-site electricity extend beyond reducing fuel convoy causalities. A fighting force that isn't restricted by the reach of a tanker truck or weighted down by heavy batteries is more nimble and, as a result, more lethal. It’s the lesson of Rommel in North Africa, 65 years later.
For renewable energy companies, the military is proving to be a vital customer, buying the latest technology and encouraging private investment. It you liked ARPANRT …
Target-Rich Environment: "We view ourselves as a target-rich environment," Secretary of the Army John McHugh said in announcing plans to provide wind and solar developers with Army land and long term agreements to buy their electricity.
FYI: The military accounts for 80% of the federal government's overall energy use and spends $15 billion a year on fuel. Also, for entrepreneurs, the military is a great reference customer, if they let you talk.
Sources: Steve Hargreaves, CNNMoney Tech, August 17, 2011
THE WHITE HOUSE BLOG: Energy for the War Fighter: The Department of Defense Operational Energy Strategy. June 14, 2011
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