Installation Energy

Reducing risk and increasing energy security on bases around the world

More than 500,000 buildings and structures at 500 major DoD installations around the world rely on electricity transmitted over an aging and vulnerable commercial grid. This electricity powers missions like Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance, that support U.S. military operations.

This energy infrastructure is vulnerable to disruption from weather, natural disasters, human error, maintenance shortfalls, equipment failures, and attacks on infrastructure, including cyber attacks.

DoD has recognized the importance of aggressively increasing the efficiency levels of buildings and infrastructure, undertaking impressive, energy-saving initiatives at several fixed installations.

• Since 1985, DoD has reduced its facility energy consumption by more than 30 percent.
• In 2006, the Navy launched its first hybrid electric‐drive surface combatant, the USS Makin Island. The estimated cost savings will be $248 million over its service life.
• As of mid-2010, the DoD was operating more than 450 projects involving solar, wind, geothermal and biomass energy at its fixed installations.
• By 2020, the Army plans to have five installations meet “net‐zero” energy goals by 2020, and an additional 25 achieve net‐zero energy by 2030. Fort Detrick, MD; Fort Hunter Liggett, CA; Parks Reserve Forces Training Area, CA; Sierra Army Depot, CA; and West Point, NY are among the Army’s six pilot net‐zero energy installations. Fort Bliss, TX and Fort Carson, CO are the Army’s two pilot integrated net‐zero installations (net‐zero in energy, water, and waste).
• This year, the Army launched the Afghanistan Microgrid Project.  A one-megawatt microgrid installed at Camp Sabalu-Harrison can be configured through distribution networks to provide power to 66 structures, and has the advantage of being able to match power generation with demand as opposed to running stand-alone generators 24 hours a day.