A strategic review released by the Pentagon states, “It is in the nation's long-term interest and security to reduce foreign oil dependence…”. This might be due to the fact that the U.S. military spent $13.6 billion on energy in 2006, using about 340,000 barrels of oil per day, according to one defense report. This report also reveals that transporting all of that fuel to the battlefield is a daunting task. It carries significant additional costs and exposes our troops to higher risk.

Clearly the military can benefit from improved fuel efficiency. In the same vein of decreasing fuel needs, renewable energy solutions are also being explored. Renewables have been implemented in a range of applications from powering some of the largest military bases to powering equipment of individual soldiers making their carrying load much more manageable.

It seems that every branch of the military is focusing on some form of energy efficiency as well as gravitating towards renewable energy. In 2010 alone, the government budgeted $2.7 billion to improve energy efficiency for the armed forces.

In a recent press conference the Assistant Secretary of the Navy stated “that by 2020, 50 percent of the Navy’s total energy consumption will come from alternative sources and that by 2015, the Navy will reduce petroleum use in vehicles by 50 percent”. Although these may sound like lofty goals, consider Adm. Mark F. Heinrich perspective. “In 1999, the USS Constellation burned 264 gallons of diesel per second,” Heinrich stated. “That’s why we have nuclear-powered aircraft carriers now.”

According to another report from the Pentagon, the Army has reduced its water usage by 31% and energy use by 10.4% since 2004 on its permanent bases and facilities around the world. Also, Army officials are considering a variety of hybrid vehicles on the battlefield to help reduce the need for fuel-truck convoys that carry additional risks and costs.

The Air Force recently finished a 140-acre solar site near Las Vegas. It has also been testing aircrafts with a blend of synthetic fuels derived from natural gas and conventional fuels. If successful, the blend will help to reduce its dependence on foreign oil.

Even the Marine Corps are going green, with a plan to cut their energy consumption overall in half by 2025. Additionally, they plan to equip thousands of marines with solar powered equipment over the next year in an effort to decrease the need for potentially dangerous fuel runs to power their generators.

Considering the big picture, energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives seem to be imperative to the military. Much of the motivation, though, is less about hugging trees and more about trimming costs. Regardless of the driving force, from an environmental perspective, we can still recognize this as a big improvement.