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Military report: Better energy plan needed as matter of national security

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By John Nolan, Staff Writer Updated 1:21 AM Tuesday, May 19, 2009

The Department of Defense needs to better understand its use of energy systemwide, and should improve efficiency at its bases by aggressively deploying new technology and using hybrid or electric vehicles where possible, according to a panel of retired generals and admirals.

“This is not a cry for independence. It’s a cry for more diversity, so you’re not so dependent on a single source,” said Larry Farrell, a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant general who was among the report’s authors.

The Defense Department needs to establish reliable methods of measuring energy consumption so that it can determine where efficiency improvements are most needed, said Farrell, a former vice commander of the Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

The department could insist on the use of hybrid or electric cars for administrative use on bases, Farrell said. The energy source for combat vehicles, however, remains dependent on mission requirements, he said.

The department needs a coordinated plan and investment strategy to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels, should require purchase of the most efficient products available, and should direct its inspector general to do periodic audits to ensure that policy is followed, according to the 12-member military advisory board commissioned by CNA, a research organization based in Alexandria, Va.

The panel’s report, titled “Powering America’s Defense: Energy and the Risks to National Security,” was released Monday, May 18, in Washington, D.C. It echoes concerns by others that the nation’s dependence on foreign oil and its obsolete electrical power transmission grid are security weaknesses for the country.

The retired military leaders took pains to point out that U.S. oil dependence is the country’s problem, not just the military’s, and that strong national leadership and a sustained commitment to diversifying U.S. energy sources is needed.

“Each of us can help end America’s addiction to oil,” the panel wrote in a statement accompanying its 39-page report.

“Using less fuel in our cars and trucks reduces overall demand, and helps us meet the president’s goal of eliminating foreign oil imports; it also reduces carbon emissions. We can support efforts to electrify personal transport, with liquid fuels used primarily for aircraft and the military.

“These steps, taken individually, may seem small. Collectively, they can make us more secure,” the panel wrote.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2242 or jnolan@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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