Military Diesel-Guzzlers Push Military to Go Green

Written by Dabney B. on Tuesday, January 24th, 2012

If an army marches on its stomach, then the military operates on energy. Meeting the high demands of such a massive military has become increasingly costly, especially with the slumping economy and the climbing oil prices.

The U.S. military has made efforts to help satisfy the unending demand for more energy by erecting renewable energy plants. They have even invested in portable solar panels so that every troop can benefit from a steady supply of solar power.

Still, these steps are proving to be insufficient. In 2006, Al-Anbar commander Maj. Gen. Richard Zilmer made a formal request to find alternative fuel options for the U.S. bases in the Middle East. This is suspected of being the first request from a frontline commander for renewable energy, and many other commanders have come to agree with Zilmer.

By some estimates, every gallon of fuel that reaches Afghanistan requires 7 gallons of fuel just to get it there, and over half of all supply buy cialis us tonnage consists of fuel.

These daunting numbers have pushed military officials to begin taking Zilmer’s request more seriously and look into alternative energy options. This potential shift in energy priorities is particularly important because it has the potential to affect all branches of the Department of Defense. Guns, fatigues, and militarized vehicles are common sights on all bases – whether they be land bases, air bases, or naval bases. In the future, we may find that solar panels and wind turbines will also become popular.

Creating energy efficient forward bases could drastically change the dynamic abroad. Not only will it make these bases more self-sufficient, but it will also significantly reduce the need for supply channels. This flexibility will free up money, man power, and will reduce the number of targets stuck out in the open. Hopefully, these numbers will push the U.S. military to find much more reliable energy solutions for all of their bases.

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