The Military Responds to Global Warming

categories: Clean Energy, Fossil Energy, Policy & Legislation, Politics, Security

Published May 25, 2009 @ 04:47PM PT

Solar array at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada

Could the U.S. military help lead the nation into a clean energy future?

Even as the Bush administration sought to suppress science and delay action on climate change, the Department of Defense began working on freeing itself from reliance on oil, and to plan for the risks of global warming.

I first encountered this myself in 2004, when I wrote up the Pentagon's report on the military and environmental risks of extreme climate change for a news service. Global warming "should be elevated beyond a scientific debate to a US national security concern," declared the authors of that study.

A couple years later I was reporting and writing two articles about community biodiesel plants for Grist in in 2006. One of my sources told me that the Air Force was among those most interested in small-scale biodiesel and wind power technologies -- viewing it as a national security risk to remain dependent on foreign oil imports, and vulnerable to the volatility of oil pricing.

Since then, the information's become much more common knowledge, and Defense cites both green and security concerns in its push for energy independence. As Reuters & New Scientist reported jointly last year,

The US military has a history of fostering change, from racial integration to development of the internet. Now Pentagon officials say their green energy efforts will help America fight global warming.

By size alone, the US Department of Defense can make waves. It accounts for 1.5% of the nation's energy consumption.

The military has set a goal that 25% of its energy should come from renewable sources by 2025 and aims to create machines and methods to help "Main Street America" reach similar targets, says Alan Shaffer, a retired air force officer who leads the Pentagon's research and engineering arm.

"It's only the Department of Defense that is big enough and has the federal mandate for the necessary scope of development" of new energy technologies and products, he says.

...These energy technologies may one day spread to households, as a byproduct of a more efficient military, said Colonel Dave Belote, commander of Nellis Air Force Base, Las Vegas, Nevada. The biggest solar power array in the US has been operating at Nellis since November in a public-private partnership.

On the downside, even the pragmatists in the Department of Defense sometimes fall prey to magical thinking. Last year, the US Joint Forces Command issued a long-range planning report, "Joint Operating Environment 2008," claiming that the scientific data on what's causing climate change was still open to doubt. Recycling this tired disinfo meme earned the agency rebukes from both strategic and scientific experts, as the Boston Globe reported:

Sharon Burke, a former Pentagon and State Department official who is now a specialist at the Center for a New American Security, said the report was factually "wrong" and "out of line," saying that there is a wide consensus that human activity, namely the production of greenhouse gases, is responsible for global warming.

Other specialists had similar reactions when they read the report.

"It's very wrong," said Kerry Emanuel, a professor of atmospheric science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology whose work was cited in the military report. "The jury is not out" on what is causing global warming, he added. "I don't know where that statement came from, but it's pretty bizarre."

Emanuel also took issue with the report's assertions about future storm intensity.

"Everyone pretty much agrees that the intensity of events could go up with global warming, although we argue how much," he said in an interview.

The Joint Forces Command redeemed itself a bit by backing off the "causes" kerfuffle in favor of more pragmatic concerns. "We are in complete agreement that climate change will be a national security driver in the future," Rear Admiral John M. Richardson, director of strategy for the command, told the Globe. "We are focused on the implications of climate change. We see what is happening. What is causing it is not in our purview. The commanders have to deal with the effects...Don't take away that we think it is any less important."

In a recent high-profile report, the Navy affirms the connections between climate change, economics, energy and security, and argues that "confronting these converging risks is critical to ensuring America’s secure energy future."

The Military Advisory Board (MAB) of the Center for Naval Analysis report, "Powering America’s Defense: Energy and the Risks to National Security," reaches the following conclusions:

U.S. dependence on oil weakens international leverage, undermines foreign policy objectives, and entangles America with unstable or hostile regimes.

Inefficient use and overreliance on oil burdens the military, undermines combat effectiveness, and exacts a huge price tag—in dollars and lives.

U.S. dependence on fossil fuels undermines economic stability, which is critical to national security.

A fragile domestic electricity grid makes our domestic military installations, and their critical infrastructure, unnecessarily vulnerable to incident, whether deliberate or accidental. Looking forward, the report warns that continuing business as usual is perilous because of the converging national security risks of energy demand and climate change:

The market for fossil fuels will be shaped by finite supplies and increasing demand. Continuing our heavy reliance on these fuels is a security risk.

Regulatory frameworks driven by climate change concerns will increase the costs—both economic and geopolitical—of using carbonbased fuels.

Destabilization driven by ongoing climate change has the potential to add significantly to the mission burden of the U.S. military in fragile regions of the world.

According to this 2007 report from the Brookings Institution, the Defense Department uses 93% of all energy consumed by the federal government. "The DOD spent approximately $13.55 billion on energy as a commodity in FY 2006," the study notes. "Of that, DOD spent roughly $10 billion on mobility fuels and $3.5 billion on facilities and infrastructure. A $10 per barrel increase in the cost of fuel increases DOD 12 operating costs by roughly $1.3 billion per year, which roughly equates to the entire 2007 procurement budget for the United States Marine Corps."

No doubt these vulnerabilities contributed to the $20 billion in stimulus money being directed at the military for energy efficiency and other improvements, as Wired.com reports, as well as "$75 million to each of the services for "near term" energy efficiency technology demonstrations and research."

With the transition in Washington to a more rational, science-friendly administration, hopefully the military will embrace the moment to solve its own strategic concerns, back strong action on greenhouse gas pollution, and help promote clean energy in civilian society as well.

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Image: Solar power array at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.

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Comments (14)

those would look great hooked up to a hydroponic system for peppers & tomatoes.. or something more constructive than military.. It is good that they are seeing the light of global warming, but there is along ways to go until everything can
be environmentally save.. like the destruction of all nucler
weapons & nerve gases etc..

Posted by Joe Wilson on 05/26/2009 @ 01:30PM PT
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The World health Organization recently concluded their health assembly, and they resolved (in part) to focus on the effects that global warming has on our health in their agenda!

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2009/world_health_assembly_20090522/en/index.html

"Climate change and health
The resolution included a work plan to scale up WHO's technical assistance to countries to assess and address the implications of climate change for health and health systems.

The work plan has four objectives:

1. advocacy and awareness raising;

2. engagement in partnerships with other UN organizations and sectors other than the health sector at national, regional and international levels;

3. promoting and supporting the generation of scientific evidence;

4. and strengthening health systems to cope with the health threat posed by climate change, including emergencies related to extreme weather events and sea-level rise. "

Posted by Heather Meyer on 05/26/2009 @ 01:58PM PT
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A big motor for the Electric Navy
A--Plasma Wiffleball

Polywell Fusion
The "Polywell" Approach to Fusion

Add a capacitor for storage....
TheEEStory.com News, Reviews and Discussion of EEStor Inc.
and say good bye to oil dependance....

Polywell needs funding....

Posted by jowey styxx on 05/26/2009 @ 04:58PM PT
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I'd be concerned if the military hides Polywell under a secrecy act ...

Posted by jowey styxx on 05/26/2009 @ 05:00PM PT
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Forgot vote for Funding for the "Polywell" design - Nuclear Fusion

Posted by jowey styxx on 05/26/2009 @ 05:04PM PT
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The military going 'green' is a clear win-win situation: 1. It reduces perhaps the single institution that contributes the most to global warming's ecological footprint, especially it's energy usage part of the footprint; 2. The greening will perhaps create 'green' jobs and 3. As has often been the case in the past, military research gets funding faster than everything else, so this might give some real momentum to green technologies in terms of developing and perfecting new green technologies. Point 3 type stories go way back to Napolean who promised huge bonuses to those who could develop new food preservation technologies to feed his huge armies and they did and these technologies spread accross society at large later. At last some really good stuff coming from military R and D.

Posted by Cal Hastings on 05/31/2009 @ 12:12PM PT
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Consider the Connection to:
Going Green
In the 1960's while on active duty in the U.S. Navy
I Completed a correspondence course with North American
School of Conservation (Field & Stream magazine)
As I worked on the correspondence course, and traveling
to different countries I became more aware of the need
for all us to be better stewards of this planet.
Please Google or, AIM Search:
CTC123GREEN
U.S. Navy, retired
Thank you for all you do for the Environment

Posted by Jerry Mayeux on 05/31/2009 @ 01:58PM PT
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That's right, this is a national security issue. The military should be used to enforce global warming science and policy.

Posted by Jeff Keener on 05/31/2009 @ 07:37PM PT
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Sounds effin great! A military on Power 2.0. That the grossly corrupt military establishment survive World Oil Production Decline by advancing to sustainable power infrastructure, while the civilian population starves and is decimated by the bloated and newly energized most mass murderous segment of the population, the US military... effin great...

Posted by Daniel Kelley on 06/01/2009 @ 01:02AM PT
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The Energy Plan for the United State of America.

$32 billion to transform the nation's energy transmission, distribution, and production systems by allowing for a smarter and better grid and focusing investment in renewable technology.

$20 billion to repair public housing & schools and make key energy efficiency retrofits.

$6 billion to weatherize modest-income homes. Tax incentives for the installation of natural gas vehicle home fueling systems and the building of an alternative fuels fueling infrastructure.

$8 billion to upgrade rail road infrastructure It by far most efficient way move freight in America.
National Gateway: http://nationalgateway.org/index.cfm

$12 billion to upgrade Amtrak passenger's service more station faster track. More efficient

Transportation for America http://t4america.org/

$24 billion to build Personal Rapid Transit system.

SKYWEB EXPRESS by Taxi 2000

http://www.personalrapidtransit.com/

$20 billion to have every military base and government facility energy efficient.

All Military base should take full advantage of any renewable technology, Solar , Wind and Geothermal. All Military base should be energy self sufficient if the site allow for it. Heavy use of LED lighting!! Lead by example.

$80 billion loan guarantee program for renewable energy production. Only for Solar, Geothermal, Wind, biofuels switchgrass only. Not food crops.

USDA/Agricultural Research Service (2008, November 3). 'Superenzymes' Could Streamline Biofuels Refining. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 27, 2009, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081031213335.htm

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2008, December 5). Replacing Corn With Perennial Grasses Improves Carbon Footprint Of Biofuels. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 27, 2009, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081202133228.htm

USDA/Agricultural Research Service (2008, July 25). Switchgrass May Mean Better Soil. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 27, 2009, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080720092205.htm

And only with Accountability and Transparency. That means someone uses a spreadsheet.

I what to have accounting report every 5 months to how the taxpayer money get's spent, and who are we going hold accountable for the programs? GAO , OMB, Congress, DOE,

Job one: put accountability in to it.

Job two: a clear report on the plan to the stake holders the tax payers. With solid base of facts.

Verifiable fact and figures.

Job three: stick to the plan.

Job Four: sustain the plan.

And one of great resource we now need to use is our nation super computers, can help solve some of need engineering and what if model that will be require and help show us what solution make most sense for long haul and lessen the burden on the taxpayer.

This investment must employ Citizens of America 1st , That live and pay taxes in the United State of America. Note: we now have a lot of people out of work in The United States.

Three year extension of the Production Tax Credit (PTC) and an elective 30% Investment Tax Credit (ITC). Only for Solar, Geothermal, Wind, biofuels switchgrass only.

My suggestions only.

Posted by Stewart Young on 06/01/2009 @ 06:56PM PT
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Global warming from Co2 and the Military going GREEN! HA Plants need Co2 to make O2 so WE can breath. The only thing green about the Military are the Uniforms, the tanks and grass that grows in the cemeteries. If they cut off the life giving Co2 gasses for Al Gores Carbon Credit Company, even the grass in the Cemeteries won't grow green. Yes Al Gore stands to make Billions off of us through new taxes.

The only plan our Government has is to TAX US TO DEATH AND GIVE OUR TAXES TO A PRIVATE BANK, THE PRIVATE BANK IS THE FEDERAL RESERVE. Owned by Rockefeller and funded by Gore. The Left and the Right are both PUPPETS of the Global Banking Crime Cartels.

Posted by Mickey Theade on 06/02/2009 @ 08:07AM PT
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If you are for the WHO, the UN, the IMF, FEMA and North Com., you are for the Globalists that have taken over our Country.

Posted by Mickey Theade on 06/02/2009 @ 08:18AM PT
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The best way the military can go green is to go out of existence.

Posted by Jeffrey Curling on 06/02/2009 @ 04:39PM PT
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I would hope that everyone wise up. All the same puppet masters preaching "Global warming" are all the ones who will benefit from it.
Its another fear tactic to relinquish you of your rights, sovereignty, and to increase taxation.

C'mon, every few years, something "new" is introduced to keep you obeying and fearful. People who are fearful give up a tremendous amount of leverage and power.

Communism
Terrorism
Global Warming

All fear tactics...

Posted by James Emanon on 06/04/2009 @ 06:23PM PT
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