Energy Efficiency, Sustainability, Take Hold In Defense Department

The Department of Defense is a massive consumer of energy, so when it decides it wants to use less of  it, contractors and potential contractors have reason to pay attention. The DOD now has a number of green energy and conservation initiatives active or in the pipeline, from solar backpacks to making fuel out of sea water. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General, Martin E. Dempsey, has testified that increasing energy efficiency is in part a matter of saving lives because it reduces the number of needed supply missions. Among the current initiatives is one called Net Zero, which invests in military infrastructure projects that stress efficient energy, water and waste handing at  U.S. Army installations. Net Zero “represents a massive call to arms for innovators,” says a client alert from Patton Boggs.