ambitious goals," Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced five energy
targets to the audience of more than 750 gathered Oct. 14-15 at the
Naval Energy Forum in McLean, Va.
Those targets, the Navy secretary said on day one of the two-day
conference, include changing the way the Navy and Marine Corps award
contracts during the acquisition process to consider the lifetime
energy cost of the system; by 2012, creating a "Green Strike Group"
composed of nuclear vessels and ships powered by biofuels and deploying
that fleet by 2016; by 2015, reducing petroleum use in its 50,000
commercial vehicle fleet by 50 percent by phasing in hybrid fuel and
electric vehicles; producing at least half the shore-based energy
requirements from renewable sources, such as solar, wind and ocean
generated by the base; and by 2020, ensuring at least 40 percent of the
Navy's total energy consumption comes from alternative sources.
"Leading change is not new for the Department of the Navy," said Mabus.
"We are a better Navy and a better Marine Corps for innovation. We have
led the world in the adoption of new energy strategies in the past.
This is our legacy."
The forum, hosted by the Office of Naval Research and the Navy's Task
Force Energy, was organized to introduce the Department of Navy
emerging energy strategy and initiatives, and gain insight from
dialogues with participants, event organizers said. It was focused
around three key themes tied to energy--security, efficiency and
environmental stewardship.
With multiple opportunities to exchange information and dialogue, the
main event was a plenary room that featured senior keynote presenters
and interactive panel discussions around the key themes. Breakout rooms
showcased energy-related Navy programs, hybrid and alternative fuel
technologies and opportunities for one-on-one collaborations.
In addition to Mabus, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead also
shared his vision of the Navy's energy strategy with the cross-section
of representatives from federal government agencies, academic
institutions, small business and the defense industry.
The Department of Defense is the largest government and individual
petroleum user in the United States, guzzling about 330,000 barrels of
oil per day, according to military officials. The Department of the
Navy is the second largest fuel user in the DoD, consuming about
100,000 barrels a day. About 75 percent of all fuel products are
transported by sea, much of it passing through vulnerable points
protected by U.S. naval forces, officials said.
"For all of you in here, it comes as no surprise that energy powers our
way of life," Roughead said during his speech. "I also think that as we
go forward, the Navy can continue to be a great steward of our
environment. The initiatives that we are going to explore here, and
things that we are doing with Task Force Energy and Task Force Climate
Change, allow us to be able to continue that reputation of stewardship."
Highlighting the importance of science and technology as the Navy plots
its energy strategy, Roughead said, "Everything doesn't have to be
game-changing technology, even though I've challenged (the Office of
Naval Research) to find 'the next big thing.'"
The Navy and Marine Corps' science and technology provider, the Office
of Naval Research (ONR) invests in a wide range of energy science and
technology projects. Dr. Larry Schuette, ONR's director of innovation,
participated in the "Pitch a Principal" program where interested
parties discussed funding opportunities with ONR. He said the forum was
a great platform to exchange ideas.
"This was the perfect opportunity for industry and our warfighter
partners to meet a broad range of subject matter experts one-on-one,"
Schuette said.
Other participants also praised the forum.
Jeff Voth, president of Herron Associates, an engineering and
management consulting company, called the event "very impressive. By
the show of senior leadership attendance and the delivery of an
aggressive naval energy strategy, the Navy is taking the lead and
raising the bar for industry to achieve more."
Paula Paige (NNS)
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