News>EPA recognizes Air Force renewable energy efforts
Photos
Archaeologists escavate land Feb. 9, 2013, at Luke Air Force Base in order to make way for a solar array the base is planning to build. The excavation team has found thousands of artifacts dating back to 3000 B.C.. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Sandra Welch)
A wind project at Cape Cod Air Force Station, Mass., is moving forward watchfully as endangered eastern box turtles nest in the area. The construction area has to be swept by qualified turtle biologists, posing some slow-down to contractors, but engineers predict the project will remain on schedule. (U.S. Air Force photo)
by Jennifer Elmore
Air Force Civil Engineering Center Public Affairs
4/23/2013 - TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla (AFNS) -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Top 50 list of Green Power Partners released this month ranks the Air Force number one in the Department of Defense and number two in the federal government for its purchase and on-site production of green power.
In 2012, the Air Force used 283 million kilowatt hours of renewable energy.
Since becoming a Green Power Partner in 2003, the Air Force has appeared near the top of the list among Fortune 500 companies such as Intel, Microsoft and Wal-Mart. The Air Force ranks 19th nationwide and is one of only four federal agencies in the top 50 -- the Department of Energy is 6th, the Environmental Protection Agency is 22nd and the Department of Veterans Affairs ranks 26th.
The Green Power Partnership is a voluntary program that encourages organizations to use green power as a way to reduce environmental impacts associated with conventional electricity use.
More than 6 percent of all facility electricity used by the Air Force came from green power sources in 2012. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 requires that number to increase to 7.5 percent this year. United States statute also requires the DOD to increase on-base renewable energy production to 25 percent by 2025.
"We're working to meet the mandates," said Ken Gray, the acting energy director at the Air Force Civil Engineering Center at Tyndall AFB. "We get a two-to-one return on what we invest in energy."
That means for every dollar the Air Force spends on an energy-focused reduction effort, it gets $2 back to invest in the mission. This makes overcoming energy challenges worth the effort, Gray said.
The Air Force more than doubled its number of renewable energy projects in the past two years. There are 256 projects in operation or under construction on 89 installations, which include solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, geothermal in the form of ground source heat pumps, wind, daylighting and landfill gas.
The Air Force is also exploring the use of waste-to-energy and geothermal electricity production.
According to the Air Force Renewable Energy Game Plan, the Air Force will use enhanced use leases and power purchase agreements to add 488 megawatts of capacity by fiscal 2018. Seven projects are in construction including photovoltaic arrays in Arizona, California, Florida and New York; a landfill gas project in Alaska; and wind projects in Massachusetts and Ohio.
It can take up to two years or more to develop, gain approval and construct a renewable energy project. AFCEC is working with the Air Force secretariat level and the office of the secretary of defense to streamline the process.
Unforeseeable factors also affect renewable energy development. For example, a solar project that will provide half of the energy needed to power Luke AFB, Ariz., was put on hold in 2012 when crews unearthed artifacts dating back as far as 3,000 B.C.
A wind project at Cape Cod Air Force Station, Mass., is moving forward watchfully as endangered eastern box turtles nest in the area. The construction area has to be swept by qualified turtle biologists, posing some slow-down to contractors, but engineers predict the project will remain on schedule, said Air Force Space Command Energy analyst Fox Theriault.
"The civil and foundation designs are complete confirming that the ground is solid enough to hold the weight of the wind turbines and the project can move forward," Theriault said. "General Electric plans to ship the two 1.68 MW turbines in late June and we hope to commission them in December."
There are also 40 renewable energy projects in the government validation or preliminary concept phases.
Comments
5/22/2013 5:12:18 PM ET Engineers and strategic planners are beginning to understand that the payback period as traditionally calculated is not the only metric that needs to be assessed when considering projects such as this. Energy security is a significant issue now and is not easily quantified. An example would be a terrorist attack that knocks out a facilitys power for an extended period of time as well as disrupts fuel transportation. If the facility has an on-site solar array that can run the critical infrastructure operational readiness is maintained and the value of that solar array is suddenly very high. One can also calculate reduced health care costs due to a reduction in refining transporting and burning of fossil fuels not to mention the reduced costs of spill response and site cleanup. Admittedly the facility itself would not be the only beneficiary of these reduced costs. However the public at large will benefit and it is their money after all.
AWright, VTANG
4/30/2013 11:46:03 AM ET Got to agree with the Major. Most green technology is not cost effective. In fact they are experiments to see if they work as designed. Most of the ROIs that we base the cost savings on are bogus not necessarily intentionally misleading. They are based on assumptions that are ill defined and rely too heavily on contractors who are trying to make a buck.
SNCO Ret, Scott
4/29/2013 8:33:33 PM ET Jennifer that's just not true. One example is the the solar array at the Academy. The project is projected to save the Air Force 12.5 million dollars over its 25 year lifespan. The problem is the project cost 18.5 million dollars. Furthermore that is the cost of the construction and does not include upkeep and repair. Anyone who doubts the Air Force's ability to waste money must have never stepped foot on an Air Force base.
Maj, Home for a change
4/26/2013 10:53:56 PM ET Glad we are busing becoming a GREEN POWER PARTNER. Surely that will help us win the next war when we can't fly our airplanes because we have no parts or fuel and our aircrew are all non-current.
Maj, Home for a change
4/26/2013 11:20:37 AM ET The Air Force only invests in green power if it is cost effective. They get two dollars back for every dollar they invest. They don't produce green power just for kicks.
Jennifer, Florida
4/24/2013 11:37:07 AM ET The EPA is once again holding us hostage for expensive green tech that is only half efficient. Thanks If I read one more story about going green I'm gonna puke.PRIUS SMASH
