Original Link: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/05/03/supporting-our-troops-better-energy-options

Last night, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta addressed an Environmental Defense Fund reception in honor of the Department of Defense’s leadership in advancing our nation’s security though transformative 21st century clean energy and environmental initiatives.

He remarked that from a security and financial perspective, we have a deep commitment to finding better energy options. For example, reducing the amount of fuel used by our equipment translates to fewer loads for supply convoys, which insurgents have targeted in places like Afghanistan. And the less we spend on fuel and energy, the more we have for other critical defense priorities. That’s why, next year, DoD will invest almost $3 billion in energy efficiency and renewable energy. You can read Secretary Panetta’s remarks here.

For our combat forces, we’re investing in better generators and microgrids for our combat bases, hybrid engines for ships and vehicles, and more efficient aircraft. While some of these investments are long-term, many will result in immediate returns. For example, the Marine Corps’ Experimental Forward Operating Base (ExFOB) has been testing energy efficient and renewable technologies that make the Marines more flexible, agile, and lethal.

3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment deployed in 2010 with first generation ExFOB gear. The results spoke for themselves. The Marines operated two patrol bases solely on renewable energy, reduced energy use by 90 percent at a third base, and executed a three-week foot patrol without battery resupply, reducing load on Marines by 700 lbs. In less than a year, technologies demonstrated at this first ExFOB were deployed widely to combat forces in Afghanistan.

For our bases here at home, we are investing to reducing our costs and improve our energy security.  A key to this is advanced technology.  The Department’s strategic guidance depends on maintaining our historic position as a technology leader – and energy plays a critical part.  It’s why we are using our installations as a test bed for new energy technologies like improved lighting, high-efficiency HVAC systems, better windows, and new roofs.

Additionally, as the White House announced last month, the Army, Navy, and Air Force have committed to adding about three gigawatts of renewable energy to these bases in the coming years – enough to power 750,000 homes representing one of the largest commitments to clean energy in the Nation’s history.

Finally, here at the Pentagon, I joined Dr. Dorothy Robyn, Deputy Undersecretary for Installations and Environment, in hosting the 2012 Commander in Chief’s award for Installation Excellence yesterday.  The award is the highest honor a military installation can receive and recognizes the efforts of the people who operate and maintain U.S. military installations.  One of the award’s criteria is energy conservation.  In 2011, one of the awardees, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base reduced its utility costs by nearly 8 percent, integrated solar water heaters into new construction projects, and retro-commissioned five facilities for a 30 percent reduction in energy use.

Other awardees include Naval Air Station Jacksonville, FL; Defense Logistics Agency Distribution Depot San Joaquin, TX; Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, CA; and Fort Steward/Hunter Army Airfield, GA.  These installations have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to our energy savings strategy and are saving taxpayers millions of dollars each year in energy costs.

Improving our energy and environmental security helps our troops better carry out their mission – to defend the nation.  As DoD’s chief buyer, that’s why I’m interested in finding the best energy technologies to meet these needs.

Frank Kendall is the Acting Undersecretary for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics at the Department of Defense.

Log on to www.windenergysecurity.com and sign the petition calling on Congress to extend the Wind Production Tax Credit.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 19, 2012

CONTACT
Stephanie Dreyer, (914) 715-6087

VETERANS: RGGI IS GOOD FOR NATIONAL SECURITY
In anticipation of today’s Energy and Natural Resources Committee meeting of the New Hampshire Senate on the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, Operation Free veteran Michael Breen, Vice President of the Truman National Security Project, released the following statement:

“As a native of the Granite State and a former Captain in the US Army, I strongly believe that participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) means a stronger New Hampshire and a stronger America.

Oil heats more than half of New Hampshire’s homes during the winter, and New Hampshire ranks fourth in the country in energy costs. And oil isn’t just expensive; it’s dangerous. America’s addiction to this single source of fuel – an addiction that Osama bin Laden referred to as America’s “Achilles heel” – drains our economy and enables our enemies.

Recognizing this weakness, our military is already developing the next generation of secure, clean energy sources. Because one in every 24 fuel convoys through the mountains of Afghanistan leads to an American casualty, the Army and Marine Corps are using solar panels on the front lines to reduce the need for oil. The Navy is preparing to sail a carrier strike group – the “Great Green Fleet” – purely on biofuels by 2016. And efficiency renovations in buildings ranging from base gymnasiums to the Pentagon itself mean the military is using less energy and less money to run its operations.

Through RGGI, New Hampshire has the opportunity to tap into that innovative spirit. New Hampshire can create jobs, keep energy costs down, and keep American service members safe by leading the country in these technologies. But to do that, our civilian leaders must match the military’s commitment to energy security. I strongly encourage the New Hampshire Senate to continue the Granite State’s membership in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.”

Operation Free is a coalition of veterans that advocate for clean, renewable energy security. Learn more at www.OperationFree.net. Operation Free is a campaign of the Truman National Security Project.

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The Ground Systems Power and Energy Lab (GSPEL) will support the Army Green Warrior Convoy, which will be used to test fuel cell, alternative fuel and other green friendly technologies.

And the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) launched a competition today challenging the best scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs of our country to improve civilian and military accessible energy storage devices. It’s a battle of the brightest to create more effective energy storage for war equipment. Improved reliability of military aircraft generators, reduced need for fuel convoys, and new generations of hybrid vehicles have already been achieved thanks to ARPA-E’s technologies.

Photo Courtesy of  The U.S. Army via Flickr

The Department of Defense also announced today one of the largest commitments to clean energy in history. By 2025, three gigawatts of wind, biomass and geothermal renewable energy will be developed on Army, Navy, and Air Force installations. This effort will help the Air Force, Navy and Army attain their goal of developing one gigawatt renewable energy each by 2016, 2020 and 2025, respectively.  The use of alternative energies ensures that our troops can continue to function even when the U.S. electricity grid is down.

Our troops are on the path to being less dependent on foreign oil, thus ensuring more combat effectiveness overseas. The dollars saved at the gas pump for American civilians is an added bonus. Coupled with President Obama’s challenge to the Departments of Navy, Energy and Agriculture to accelerate the creation of drop-in biofuels for not only military but commercial use as well, the entire nation is now progressing towards better energy security.

Lt. Gen. John G. Castellaw, USMC (ret.) served as deputy commandant for Marine Corps Aviation from 2005 to 2007. He is a member of the Consensus for American Security and the president of the Crockett Policy Institute. He lives on the family farm near Alamo, Tenn.” He can be followed on Twitter at @CrockettPolicy

Ken Bossong, Executive Director of the SUN DAY Campaign, said

“The investments in sustainable energy made by the federal government as well as state and private funders have paid off handsomely, underscoring the short-sightedness of emerging proposals to slash or discontinue such support.”

The figures highlight the success clean energy investment, and show that the money being spent on renewable energy isn’t going to waste. The industry isn’t just growing, but booming.

Photo courtesy of EEO

What these figures mean for the economy, however, is just as good. All of that growth creates jobs here in America. And like the energy those jobs provide, employment in the renewable market is a long term solution for thousands of Americans who are getting involved in a young, growing market. Whether you agree with where the money is spent or not, these policies have expanded and energized a niche in the economy, laying the foundation for a new American energy industry.

Traditionally, the approach taken by the Air Force has been to avoid the placement of turbines in areas which cause significant radar disruption whenever possible. Since radar systems only “see” objects that are in their line of sight, positioning turbines in valleys or behind hills means the turbines have no impact on military readiness.

photo: US Air Force/Lance Cheung via flickr.

One of the more promising solutions is the development of hardware and software modifications. Through the use of more sensitive hardware and specially designed programming, it is possible to greatly reduce the impact of turbines on radar equipment. The British Ministry of Defense conducted tests in 2005, observed by U.S. DoD officials, which showed that these kinds of technological improvements can drastically reduce the impact of turbines on radar systems.

Dr. Dorothy Robyn, Deputy Under-Secretary of Defense, Installations, and Environment, stated that

“The wind turbine radar interference problem is a serious problem, but it is a largely solvable problem. Our country should not have to choose between national security and the development of renewable energy.”

Both the Department of Defense and the Air Force are committed to wind energy. And they believe it is not only an effective energy source, but compatible with our national security interests.

Jim Greenwood, president and CEO of BIO, stated that “The Pentagon has sought to decrease its reliance on foreign oil and increase use of renewable energy for a very simple reason: energy security is a national security priority.” He added that shifts in the oil market have caused the Pentagon to shift assets away from other programs in order to compensate for rising energy prices, resulting in the reallocation of 3.6 billion in funding in order to cover unexpected fuel costs in 2011.

As a result, the military is taking steps to reduce its dependency on oil by investing in biofuels and setting renewable energy goals for each branch. Congress should follow the military’s lead: Investing in biofuels makes America safer and costs the American taxpayer less.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

Join the Fight

Joining the President in the Rose Garden were two Operation Free veterans, Terron Sims and Chris Marzoni, who recognize the need to lessen our reliance on oil while investing in clean energy. “I’m glad that my Commander in Chief is doing what it takes to make sure we have true energy independence by taking steps to reduce our oil use and increase clean, renewable sources of American energy,” Sims said in a statement following the President’s remarks.

Chris Marzoni Shaking Hands with the President, Terron Sims Top Left

Last year the three largest American oil companies made over $80 billion in combined profit.  The President, and other supporters of ending tax subsidies, realize that with the oil industry seeing booming profits and production there is no need to further provide for their wealth.  “Instead of taxpayer giveaways to an industry that’s never been more profitable, we should be using that money to double-down on investments in clean energy technologies that have never been more promising,” President Obama stated.

Operation Free stands for this further commitment to clean energy in order to ensure America’s future.  Clean energy is of significant importance to our nation from an economic and national security standpoint.  America’s reliance on foreign oil is a national security threat, as stated by leaders at the Pentagon, State Department, and National Intelligence Council.  Clean energy will allow the United States to release itself from the threatening grip of foreign oil and to reassert control of its energy future.

Following the event, Sims released the following statement:

“I was proud to stand with the President today, and offer my support for the important energy initiatives his Administration has put forward.

“I remember as a kid seeing cars and trucks lined up for blocks behind gas stations just to fill their tanks part way. Twenty years later, I saw cars lined up again, but this time in Iraq. There, the lines would stretch up to ten miles long under the hot sun, under constant risk of attack by extremists. I realized then just how vulnerable it makes any country to be dependent on oil, especially the United States, which uses nearly a quarter of the world’s supply.

“That’s why I’m glad that my Commander in Chief is doing what it takes to make sure we have true energy independence by taking steps to reduce our oil use and increase clean, renewable sources of American energy. I hope Congress will work with the President on these goals for the sake of America’s security.”

Terron Sims is a former US Army Captain and Iraq War veteran. Operation Free is a national coalition of US military veterans working to send the message that America’s security relies on ending our addiction to oil and establishing clean, renewable sources of energy. Operation Free is a campaign of the Truman National Security Project.

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The Truman National Security Project is the country’s only progressive national security leadership institute. For more information, visit www.trumanproject.org.

“Clean energy is more than a bright spot in Arizona’s economy; it’s also increasingly central to our national security.

While keeping an eye on the fuel gauge of my jet while flying missions over Iraq, I had plenty of time to think about America’s fuel gauge, too. As the final assignment of my military career, I had the honor of serving as commander of the 12th Air Force at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.

Every day, we send $1 billion overseas for oil. Our military and security leaders, myself included, recognize that America’s oil addiction funds terrorists and chains us to nations that do not share our interests. Not only will secure, clean and domestic energy create jobs for Arizonans – including our veterans coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan – it will also strengthen America’s security.”

To read more check out: http://azstarnet.com/news/opinion/military-s-use-of-solar-power-is-one-step-toward/article_17fef823-62be-5bc0-9834-077fe8432e59.html#ixzz1pa60jH2y

The national discussion about Iran centers around nuclear weapons and potential military action – some iterations including the US, others only Israel, etc – but wherever you stand on that debate, there is a reason you should be worried about Iran.

Those of you concerned that an Iranian nuclear weapon will destabilize the region, pose an existential threat to Israel, or otherwise endanger the world at large, here are my concerns for you: While the US does not buy Iranian oil, the world price for oil applies as equally to Iran as to other oil exporting countries. So if the US is buying oil from Saudi Arabia at a hundred dollars a barrel, then Japan or China or someone else is buying oil from Iran at a hundred dollars a barrel. That money is enriching an Iranian regime that is pursuing a nuclear weapon. And that doesn’t leave America very safe.

Those of you who are willing to live with an Iran capable of nuclear weapons, there are other concerns, chiefly, that the perception of an Iranian regime pursuing nuclear weapons is distasteful to several very strong groups who are willing to make war to prevent that from occurring. As that tension mounts, pressures and speculation on oil development will raise domestic prices of oil. And all those other regimes that are supporting destabilizing elements will have more money to funnel to them. Which continues to make America unsafe.

So now that we agree that Iran’s oil exporting ways are dangerous to America, what can we do about it? One strategy would be to stop oil exports from Iran. Unfortunately major international players and some key allies of the United States rely on Iranian oil, and are loathe to joining the United States in boycotting that oil.

A better strategy would be to decrease our demand for foreign oil. The US demands roughly 20% of the world’s oil, and a significant drop in that demand will bring oil prices down. And the best way to do that is to drive better cars – preferably electric – which use less gasoline. That will make America much safer.

One of those people was Glenn Kunkel. Glenn is a U.S. Marine who served in Iraq and this is his message of support.

I come before you first and foremost as a fellow citizen, deeply concerned about the future prosperity and security of our great nation. I serve as the Vice President of the Truman National Security Project, a leadership institute dedicated to forging strong, smart, and principled national security policy for America. As a former Army Captain and an Iraq and Afghanistan combat veteran, I am also proud to be one of the leaders of Operation Free, a non-partisan, nationwide coalition of patriotic veterans who stand together in the common belief that our national addiction to oil poses a clear national security threat to the United States.

The veterans of Operation Free have seen the consequences of our dependence on oil as a single source of energy first-hand, on the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq. As a young Lieutenant on my first combat tour, in Iraq, I served on an isolated fighting camp south of Baghdad in an area known as the “Triangle of Death.” My unit was entirely dependent on a daily fuel convoy to power our generators and fuel our vehicles. Recognizing this, Iraqi insurgents consistently ambushed the convoys while my infantry company fought to protect them – leading to almost daily firefights we jokingly called “fighting for our supper.” The insurgents had recognized a crucial weakness, one that Osama bin Laden referred to as America’s “Achilles heel”: our dependence on oil as a single source of fuel.

We pay a high price for the single source dependence, in both treasure and blood. A $10 increase in the price of a barrel of oil costs the Department of Defense an estimated $1.3 billion – almost equal to the entire procurement budget for the Marine Corps. The fully burdened cost of fuel is $40 a gallon in parts of Afghanistan. Meanwhile, half the convoys that have braved the harrowing highways of Baghdad and the narrow mountain passes of Afghanistan to carry the oil our forces cannot fight without. And one in twenty-four of those convoys ends in an American casualty.

For our troops in harm’s way, the reality of oil dependence is stark. Yet we confront an equally stark reality as a nation. Over 95% of the American transportation sector runs on oil. Our economy is overwhelmingly dependent on this single, globally-traded strategic commodity. Unfortunately, the price of that commodity is almost certain to continue to rise by fits and starts, draining our economy and benefiting our enemies. Reliance on this single source of fuel is a security risk we can no longer tolerate.

U.S. demand for crude oil and its derived products has held roughly flat for years now. Meanwhile, domestic production has been robust, increasing in the last several years. Yet, despite stagnant US demand and increasing US production, relentlessly increasing global demand continues to push the price of oil ever higher, driving a massive transfer of our national wealth to other nations.

America sends over $1 billion per day overseas for oil. It should not be a surprise, then, that oil is the single larges contributor to our foreign debt, outpacing eve our trade deficit with China. Worse, far too many of those dollars wind up in the hands of regimes that wish us harm.

A Truman Project colleague conducted an analysis on the impact that increase to crude oil prices have on the gross revenue streams of certain nations. This research concluded that every $5 rise in the price of a barrel of crude oil, Putin’s Russia receives more than $18 billion annually, Chavez’s Venezuela an additional $4.9 billion annually, and Ahmadinejad’s Iran an additional $7.9 billion annually. I do not believe anyone in this room today would support an energy policy that transfers our national wealth to such regimes.

Today, our nation remains locked in a high-stakes confrontation with a volatile Iran. Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability and support for terrorism are among our gravest national security challenges. As we grapple with those challenges, we must not forget that neither terrorism nor nuclear technology is free. According to the CIA, over 50% of Iran’s entire national budge comes from the oil sector. That’s enough to pay for their nuclear program, support terrorism, and back dictators like Syria’s Assad.

Iran is not America’s only oil-funded security threat. Even Afghanistan’s Taliban benefits from ever-increasing oil prices. According to former Special Envoy Richard Holbrooke, the Taliban’s larges source of funding is not drug trafficking, as is commonly believed. Rather, private foreign donations from individuals in oil-rich Iran, Saudi Arabia, and other Persian Gulf states keep the insurgency running.

Our military leaders have not been idle in the face of this challenge. They are acting decisively to increase efficiency and pursue alternatives that break our force’s singular dependence on oil. The US Navy is committed to reducing petroleum by 50% by 2015, with the goal of 40% of total energy consumption from alternative sources by 2020. In 2010, the Navy conducted the first flight test of the “Green Hornet” – an F/A-18 strike fighter powered by a 50% biofuel blend derived from the camelina plant.

The Navy’s efforts demonstrate that our military leaders understand the critical danger we face. They are acting to meet that danger, in the only way that makes sense: by developing alternatives to oil.

Congress must also act to ensure that Americans have alternatives to oil. There is no single solution, no sliver bullet, that can break oil’s grip on our national fortunes. Fortunately, Congress has silver buckshot in its arsenal. At a minimum, we need robust research and development into a broad range of alternative fuels and vehicle technologies, support for communities across America as they transition their infrastructure to support alternative vehicles, and tax incentives for families and small businesses that purchase those alternative vehicles.

My earliest military training taught me to anticipate threats and take action to defeat them. Our military leaders understand this when it comes to the cost of oil – a cost that extends beyond the gas pump and onto the battlefield. Congress must take equally decisive action.

I respectfully conclude with a simple request: lead us in building an alternative energy economy that can break our dependence on oil, ensure our future prosperity and security, and finally put Americans in control of our own energy future.

The move makes sense in several contexts. (1) High gas prices are squeezing the American consumer and putting pressure on the White House to find energy solutions. (2) Tensions with Iran are mounting in the wake of this week’s AIPAC meetings and potential disruptions could send oil prices through the roof. (3) Recent announcement of settlements for BP oil spill victims have reminded the public of some of the dangers of domestic drilling.  (4) Build on successful projects like “Cash for Clunkers” in hopes of regaining the momentum on his energy policy.

Funding for the program is likely to be contested in Congress. Mike Breen, Vice President of the Truman National Security Project testified this morning:

“Congress must also act to ensure that Americans have alternatives to oil. There is no single solution, no sliver bullet, that can break oil’s grip on our national fortunes. Fortunately, Congress has silver buckshot in its arsenal. At a minimum, we need robust research and development into a broad range of alternative fuels and vehicle technologies, support for communities across America as they transition their infrastructure to support alternative vehicles, and tax incentives for families and small businesses that purchase those alternative vehicles.”

Another aspect of the debate is likely to be jobs. The American auto-manufacturing sector is losing ground to foreign competition. Look for the administration to tout the job-creating reality of clean energy programs.

But the move is also a policy winner. America’s reliance on foreign oil makes us less safe, a fact that the Department of Defense, the CIA, and the National Intelligence Council have all attested to. Often money we spend to buy oil makes its way through the sluices to terrorists to use against the U.S. And while America could divert some funding towards domestic drilling, the proven reserves of the US are small, and would be depleted quickly. In light of that geopolitical reality, moving to less oil-reliant cars is a necessity.

Oil dependency makes America less safe. It’s time for good ideas like these.