So what's so new! The Department of Defense (military services) have always been in the forefront of advancement, whether in technology or conservation. Everything they're doing is to their advantage in keeping the services ahead of the curve.
The days of fossil fuel such as oil will soon see it's heyday as we stepped forward into the future with more dependence on nuclear, solar power, hydrogen, helium 3, green sources of energy made from grains and plants, photovoltaics (solar electric modules) and the list goes on.
Speaking of seeking new energy sources, this was in my AFA's daily e-mail report which seems to fit right in the subject at hand.
AFA's Air Force Magazine online Journal of the Air Force Association
All Across the Country: "The Air Force has flown a C-17 airlifter-burning nothing but a blend of synthetic and aviation fuels in its four engines-from Washington state to New Jersey, marking the first such transcontinental flight. Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne and a hoard of energy and airline officials and others, including Rep. Jim Saxton (R-N.J.), met the aircraft. The Air Force already has certified the synfuel for use on the B-52 bomber and expects to complete certification for the C-17 fleet early in the New Year. As the largest military consumer of energy-80 percent of which is aviation fuel-the Air Force plans to pursue the use of a synfuel blend for all its aircraft, achieving certification for "every engine and every airframe" by early 2011 and purchasing 50 percent of its fuel requirement from domestically produced synfuel, according to USAF energy guru William Anderson. Some have questioned the practicality of switching to a synfuel blend because there's no ready source, but Anderson told Pentagon reporters last week that estimates from the marketplace mark 2016 as "about the time that a robust commercial synthetic fuel market may be in significant growth stage."
Nuclear Power for USAF Base?: "At the request of two senior lawmakers on the Senate Energy Committee, the Air Force has been exploring whether an Air Force base would be "an appropriated host for a nuclear [energy] facility, according to William Anderson, the Air Force's lead for energy initiatives. He told Pentagon reporters last week that the service is "in the very infancy stages" of considering this request. USAF officials have met with the Energy Department and talked with technology leaders-most of whom, Anderson said, are foreign "at this point." They believe the latest technology, something called a "small-packaged nuclear facility," has potential. This spring, the service plans to gather financiers, developers, and operators together for a discussion. Anderson added, "It's worth continuing to look at."
Let the Sun Shine: "Development of the nation's largest solar photovoltaic system, which has been under construction at Nellis AFB, Nev. since June, is complete, according to various news accounts. Base officials expect the government-private venture to save Nellis about $83,000 monthly, providing 25 percent of the base's total power at a fixed rate for 20 years. Air Force, MMA Renewable Ventures, and Nevada Power Company officials expect the 140-acre, 14-megawatt system to produce 30 million kilowatt-hours annually for Nellis and NPC customers. In a briefing at the Pentagon last week, Air Force energy guru William Anderson said the service planned to replicate the Nellis "business model" to support new energy technology at other USAF bases. He said requests for proposals would go out "shortly" for facilities in Arizona, California, and New Mexico to develop similar commercially backed, constructed, owned, and operated projects, potentially larger than the one at Nellis."
