U.S. Army Has Net Zero Vision for National Security

Sign up for daily news updates from CleanTechnica on email. Or follow us on Google News!

u.s. army seeks to achieve net zero energy, water and wasteWith its vast stock of vehicles, ships, planes, buildings, lands, and other facilities, the U.S. Department of Defense could foment a green revolution all by itself – and that seems to be just what it intends on doing, starting with the Army. Working quietly for the past couple of years, DoD has been nudging closer to developing an ambitious net zero  program for a group of U.S. Army bases. That applies not only to energy production and consumption, but also to water resources and waste disposal as well.

National Defense and Sustainability

You can go all the way back to General Dwight D. Eisenhower’s 1948 book about World War II, Crusade in Europe, to find evidence that senior military officials have long recognized the limitations of a modern national defense strategy that depends on fossil fuels. More recently, the Department of Defense has adopted a broader sustainability goal, which recognizes that environmental security is a key element in national security. In other words, the U.S. military has adopted sustainability as a national defense strategy. It’s not going to happen overnight but when you look at military bases around the country, they’re a buzz of new sustainability projects from geothermal, solar, and water conservation to biofuels and green roofs.

Net Zero Bases for the U.S. Army

The Army has been working with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory on the program, officially dubbed “Army Vision for Net Zero.” With a few tweaks, its mission statement could be applied to just about any green-minded organization or business: “We are creating a culture that recognizes the value of sustainability measured not just in terms of financial benefits, but benefits to maintaining mission capability, quality of life, relationships with local communities, and the preservation of options for the Army’s future.” One standout example is Fort Bliss, which among other programs is looking at taking in waste from nearby El Paso as part of a hybrid solar power/waste-to-energy operation.

Net Zero Water and Waste

A 2008 Defense Science Board report asserted that under the current energy landscape, some bases face “unacceptable risks from extended power losses,” so net zero energy is a priority for the program. However, water resource protection and waste disposal are also critical elements. In the case of waste disposal, part of an individual base’s success will depend on another recently ramped up DoD priority, to reduce or eliminate its use of hazardous or toxic materials such as paints and other coatings, and replace them with safer alternatives.

Leading by Example

The idea now is to focus on a small group of bases that are the most likely candidates for achieving net zero in energy, water, and/or waste, and the selections will be announced shortly.  They will be used as learning tools by other bases and by the civilian world as well. It will be a big advantage for companies seeking to invest in sustainability, and for local governments seeking public support for sustainability initiatives, to use major military installations as living examples of success. Unfortunately, it appears that not everyone is as interested in environmental security as the Department of Defense is…oh well, you can’t win ’em all.

Image: Fort Bliss courtesy of U.S. Army on flickr.com.


Have a tip for CleanTechnica? Want to advertise? Want to suggest a guest for our CleanTech Talk podcast? Contact us here.

Latest CleanTechnica TV Video


Advertisement
 
CleanTechnica uses affiliate links. See our policy here.

Tina Casey

Tina specializes in advanced energy technology, military sustainability, emerging materials, biofuels, ESG and related policy and political matters. Views expressed are her own. Follow her on LinkedIn, Threads, or Bluesky.

Tina Casey has 3275 posts and counting. See all posts by Tina Casey