Pentagon’s "Operational Energy Strategy" Promotes Energy Reform

The U.S. Defense Department is the U.S. government’s largest energy consumer, using 300,000 barrels of oil (bpd) per day.

Seeking changes in how it procures its energy supplies, the Pentagon recently released its “Operational Energy Strategy,” promoting conservation, diversity of sourcing and biofuels.
An increasing concern of the Defense Department is the rising casualty rate among U.S. troops tasked to guard fuel supplies in Afghanistan.

On 7 June CENTCOM commander Gen. David H. Petraeus issued an energy conservation memorandum with guidelines, writing, “We have lost many lives delivering fuel to bases around Afghanistan. “Commanders will make energy-informed, risk-based decisions on aviation operations, vehicle operations, base camp design, power and water generation and distribution,” with officers tasked to promote “rapid technology insertion of new fuel-saving methods” while promoting energy conservation, noting, “This includes turning off unused equipment, repairing faulty equipment and avoiding use of heating, air conditioning and lighting in unused or unoccupied structures.”

Petraeus also announced the creation of a new office under his command that will focus on how International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) coalition forces in Afghanistan use energy.

By. Charles Kennedy, Deputy Editor OilPrice.com