THE ENERGY EDGE Despite this long-standing, critical
role in military might, energy has only recently gained broad attention, leading to systematic management approaches. A September 2009 study by the Army Environmental Policy Institute, Sustain the Mission Project: Casualty Factors for Fuel and Water Resupply Convoys (online at
http://www.aepi.army.mil/docs/
whatsnew/SMP_Casualty_Cost_Fac- tors_Final1-09.pdf), highlighted the risks
to our Soldiers from the extraor-
dinary effort required to deliver fuel to expeditionary forces on the ground, and the vulnerabilities created by our singular dependence on liquid fuel logistics.
In response to these concerns, the Army and Marine Corps each focused efforts to mitigate these issues by fielding more energy-efficient technologies and alterna- tive energy solutions.
PROVEN EFFICIENCIES These efforts have already achieved reduc- tions in field energy consumption, in turn helping to mitigate both the effects of spi- raling energy costs and the need to dedicate military forces
to conduct fuel delivery
convoys in hazardous areas of Southwest Asia. For example, the Army has replaced stand-alone power generation with more than
22 “mini-grids”
WELCOME TO THE ARMY’S
OPERATIONAL ENERGY OFFICE
In November 2011, the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4 (Logistics) established an
Operational
Energy (OE) Office to support the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy, and Environment, who sets Army energy policies and pro- grams and coordinates them with the Office of the Secre- tary of Defense and the other military
departments. This
new office synchronizes Army OE and contingency basing initiatives, and planning and business processes among Army staff elements and commands.
The office supports current in Afghanistan,
saving an estimated 33 million gallons of fuel per year—an efficiency improvement of approximately 20 percent.
However, energy savings are not the ulti- mate goal. The military exists to protect national security and to project power, and energy contributes significantly to those purposes. With that
in mind, it
is important to maintain an operational focus and to define success in terms that reflect mission success.
requirements, making more
For example, more efficient electrical power generation can reduce fuel delivery
20 Soldiers
available to conduct assigned missions— a force multiplier. Saving 5,000 gallons
operations and is now expand- ing its efforts to integrate OE into the Army budget process, the Army Campaign Plan, and other enterprise systems. This work will link overall Army goals of operational readiness and performance with the spe- cific actions needed to achieve those results. For more infor- mation about the Operational Energy Office, contact COL Paul Roege at 571-256-4570 or
paul.e.roege.mil@
mail.mil; or Amy Burrison at 703-614- 0937 or
amy.b.burrison.civ@
mail.mil.
OPERATIONAL BENEFITS For the first time, the Army is about to issue a document that describes energy
requirements Initial in terms of
their operational benefits. A draft of this
and Doctrine Capabilities Document
[ICD] for Operational Energy, prepared in October 2011 by the U.S. Army Training
Command,
characterizes energy as “critical to the Joint Force’s ability to conduct and sup- port operations, enabling maneuver and freedom of action and providing opera- tional reach and endurance.”
In other words, energy-enabled attributes of vehicle speed, onboard power, and endurance provide important operational energy benefit. The ICD also recognizes the dynamic nature of modern operations, noting that “providing energy alterna- tive capabilities
and interoperability
builds flexibility and resilience through increased ability to respond to changes in operational demands, and greater ability to adapt to changes in the opera- tional environment.”
The most important concept presented
in the ICD is the need to understand how energy relates to operational capabilities and to manage energy in ways that best support mission success. This concept, termed “energy-informed operations,” increase
requires in a substantial awareness about energy
use and availability, and an attendant ability to make effective choices that maximize the operational benefit of the energy available.
can take a fuel tanker and crew off the road. Alternative energy sources, such as photovoltaic (solar) panels, can reduce generator operating time, meaning less maintenance effort and a reduced acoustic signature, and reduce the unit’s vulnerability to disruptions in fuel supply.
Army AL&T Magazine
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