Part I of this two-part series asked the question of whether the military should be getting credit for a new solar project that utility Duke Energy is building at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, NC. This post explores why the military finds itself in a situation where it can’t just … [continued]
UPDATE: Duke Energy spokesperson Randy Wheeless tweeted that Duke Energy is in fact keeping the renewable energy credits from the solar farm at Camp Lejeune to count toward North Carolina’s renewable energy portfolio standard. That confirms that the Navy should not be counting this installation toward its 2015 target of … [continued]
Originally published on Planetsave. Drones are no longer known as mere weapons of war. At least, that’s how Google, Facebook, and other online giants like Amazon appear to be thinking. Google has just acquired Titan Aerospace, a promising solar-powered drone maker, as part of its plans to globalize wireless internet. … [continued]
Water purification plants around the globe typically are built near a power plant and population centers because of high energy needs for reverse osmosis filtration and associated pumping to residents and businesses. Desalination projects are even more energy intensive. These plants mostly run on fossil fuels (coal or oil), creating … [continued]
Great news on solar power: More eco-friendly military housing is on the horizon. Today, SolarCity announced that three more solar panel rooftop projects will be added to Air Force bases in California and Colorado later this summer. The additional bases are a part of SolarStrong, a $1-billion solar installation … [continued]
The U.S. military is – perhaps unsurprisingly – one of the driving forces behind alternative fuel sources; after all, not being dependent on potentially hostile foreign countries for vital fuel is a matter of national security. However, in the short term, said alternative fuels are more expensive than standard fossil fuels, and that creates a few problems. […]
The US military is a consumer with different priorities. They make their own assessments and have determined as far back as 2010 that there is likely to be shortages of fuel by 2015. If by one war or embargo or a well placed weather event, supplies of oil are interrupted their tanks, ships, aircraft and supplies will have limited mobility.
The Advanced Energy Economy (AEE) and American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) have announced “a partnership to explore how renewable energy can help the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) achieve mission objectives, save taxpayer money, and reduce risks associated with reliance on fossil fuels.” Here’s the rest of the announcement, from AEE: The two organizations … [continued]
Seven military bases in California and two in Nevada could produce a hefty 7 GW of power from renewable solar and wind power, according to an extensive study the military commissioned from ICF International.
The study found that even though 96% of the surface area of the nine bases is unsuited for solar development because of military use, endangered species and other factors, the solar-compatible area is nevertheless large enough to generate more than 30 times the electricity actually used by the California bases, according to E&E News.
Like all federal agencies, the Department of Defense is under an administration mandate to produce clean energy to cut its carbon emissions 28% by 2020, and it has a $4 billion annual energy bill.
Nobody likes to see $500 million in taxpayer funds lost. But as Congress investigates the loan guarantee given to the now-bankrupt solar manufacturer Solyndra, it’s important to put the failed loan into historical context.
