Pentagon Pushes For Green Navy Fleet

America in the 1860s was much different than she isconsumption by 11 million gallons annually with the
today. Transportation was a much slower prospectintroduction of a fleet of some 4,000 electrically
and quite frankly, more dangerous as well.powered vehicles.
A new form of transportation was spreading theArmy bases across the country are being equipped
country like wildfire. They called it a "railroad".with solar panels and wind turbines and their goal is to
The idea of a set of rails and wooden ties thatbecome completely electrically self-sufficient in the
would connect the east to the west was simplynear future.
unfathomable for most, but for some it was not onlyThe mid-western company, Iowa Thin Film
possible, but profitable as well.Technologies, has been working with the US Army to
Communication was revolutionized also as theincorporate thin flexible solar panels that can be
telegraph was invented within the same time frame.layered on the top of tents or rolled up into a
The term "millionaire" became widely adopted duringbackpack and provide a portable source of energy.
this period.The US Air Force is now the largest buyer of clean
During the 1970s, DARPA, (the Defense Advancedenergy within the Federal Government and has 37 of
Research Projects Agency), was working on aits bases equipped with renewable energy resources.
solution for better wartime communications and theThe US Navy plans to launch its Great Green Fleet in
internet was conceived.2016, a spin-off of Roosevelt's Great White Fleet in
In practically every major advancement we've1907, which will consist of ships and submarines
experienced, the US military has had a pioneering role.powered by nuclear or bio-fuels, and fighter jets that
Just as the railroad and telegraph was in the 1860sare fully bio-fueled.
and the internet was in the 1970s, the quest forThe Navy also plans to convert 50,000 of its
clean energy and alternative fuels is today.commercial vehicles to hybrid electric power by the
If you want some positive proof as to the directionend of 2015.
our nation is headed, simply take a look at ourThe Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus, was very
military.convincing when he spoke at the Naval Energy
The largest consumer of fuel in our government isForum in McLean, Virginia. He said that their approach
the US military. In 2007, the Department Of Defenseto awarding contracts would be readjusted to favor
spent some $12.5 billion on jet fuel, diesel, andcompanies that offer the most energy efficient
gasoline in Afghanistan and Iraq alone. That equatesproducts. "We're going to hold industry contractually
to over $4 million per day.accountable for meeting energy targets and system
These figures are nowhere near complete as theyefficiency requirements. We'll also use the overall
do not include Navy ships and aircraft, military sealifts,energy efficiency and the energy footprint of a
mobility commands, contractors, aerial refueling, andcompeting company as an additional factor in
the fuel burned in transporting delivered fuel.acquisition decisions", said Mabus.
With these kind of expenses continuing to rise, theAs history has recorded the transformations our
military is constrained to find alternative fuel sourcesnation has been blessed to receive, we should never
for its vehicles.take for granted the role our military has played in
Protecting fuel supply lines is a most perilous taskthe process.
which our soldiers must constantly face.In fact, we should take advantage of its efforts and
The Pentagon has taken major steps in solving thisutilize its advancements in the lives of our friends and
potentially hazardous situation.families whenever possible.
The US Army has planned to cut their oil