For the Air Force, winning a 2005 Green Power Leadership Award was a breeze -- literally.

Bases like Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, and Fairchild AFB, Wash. -- both which receive 100 percent of their energy from wind or other renewable energy power sources -- helped the Air Force earn the award Oct. 24 for its organization-wide commitment to renewable energy.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Energy and the Center for Resource Solutions sponsor the annual awards. It recognizes organizations whose actions help advance the development of the nation’s green power market.

In the past few years, the Air Force has become a major "green power" buyer. It is now the largest purchaser of renewable power in the federal government. During fiscal 2004, 10 Air Force bases collectively purchased more than 320 gigawatt hours of renewable energy certificates. That accounted for 41 percent of all green power purchased by the federal government

This past fiscal year the Air Force purchased more then 1,059 gigawatt hours of renewable energy. The next closest military purchaser was the Army with 52 gigawatt hours.

“The Air Force has been very aggressive in pursuing renewable energy because it makes economic sense,” said Jim Snook, Air Force renewable energy program manager. “Industry has seen that the Air Force is committed to renewable energy and they are bringing ideas and projects to us and making more renewable purchasing opportunities available.”

Jerry Doddington, Air Force energy management team chief, said, "In the 80’s and 90’s, we took care of most of the easy fixes such as turning down thermostats, using energy-efficient lighting and installing better insulation. But, to meet newer and more stringent federal energy goals, we had to go high-tech, so we started bringing renewable energy sources into the overall energy strategy.”

One of the answers was found in the wind.

The Air Force generates its own power and operates a 2.4-megawatt wind farm on Ascension Island, in the mid-Atlantic. And a 1.3-megawatt wind farm at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo. Several other bases are considering wind farms.

While wind power is the largest contributor so far in the Air Force’s renewable energy plan, the portfolio also includes the use of biomass energy at Hill AFB, Utah, and the installation of more than 3,500 ground source heat pumps at various installations. 

Energy management officials said they are also trying to increase the use of solar energy, which in the past was cost prohibitive.

“We applaud the Air Force for its environmental leadership,” said Kurt Johnson, EPA's Green Power Partnership director. “The organization is providing an outstanding example for others to follow.”