The Hill News

In 2011, the Department of Defense (DOD) was not only the single largest energy consumer in the U.S., but the largest in the world. The DOD spent roughly $20 billion on energy last year, including $4 billion at military installations. With multiple government initiatives introduced around energy consumption goals and policies in place like the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the DOD has very real targets to reach in improving energy efficiencies, utilization of cleaner power sources, and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. With a focus on four aspects of energy effectiveness, the DOD has an opportunity to have a considerable impact on the energy landscape in the U.S.

First, conserve and save - The DOD has over 300,000 buildings in the U.S., many of them examples of aging infrastructure. Simply by implementing readily available energy efficiency technologies and initiatives, the DOD can bend the curve on its $4 billion annual energy bill and yield large finan! cial rewards.

Read more...