Army Rolls Out Names of Installations to Participate in Net Zero Contest

Yesterday, the Army rolled out the names of 17 Army/Joint
installations that will participate in its Net Zero Energy, Water and Waste
contest. The contest is part of the Army’s broader Net Zero
initiative to better manage natural resources at its installations in an
effort to reduce the constraints posed by its large energy and water
requirements and waste generation. At an October 2010 DOD Bloggers Roundtable,
Assistant Secretary of the Army (Installations, Energy & Environment)
Katherine Hammack described the initiative, saying that “The primary goal is a
focus toward net zero and when we talk about net zero, it's not only
net zero energy, but it's net zero energy, water, and waste. When you look
at the term ‘net zero’ or a hierarchy of net zero you must start with
reduction, then progress through repurposing, recycling, energy recovery,
disposal being the last.”

As other services have articulate in the past, better
natural resource management – especially with energy and water – can be a force
multiplier that maximizes operational capacity and mission effectiveness.
According to a December 2010 Army White Paper, “In an era of persistent
conflict, with a mission of stabilizing war-torn nations, a
true stabilizing factor can be that of appropriate resource management.”

The DOD Energy Blog was the first to report
on the announcement from San Antonio where the Army is holding a four
day installations symposium and exposition. According to DOD Energy Blog, the
Army’s Pilot Net Zero Energy installations (installations that aim to produce
as much energy as they consume) will include:

• Fort Detrick, MD;
• Fort Hunter Liggett, CA;
• Kwajalein Atoll, RMI;
• Parks Reserve Forces Training Area, Ca;
• Sierra Army Depot, CA; and
• West Point, NY.

In addition, according to DOD Energy
Blog, “the Oregon Army National Guard has volunteered to pilot a unique
and challenging Net Zero Energy initiative, which includes all of their
installations spread across the entire state. This strategy will be included in
the environmental analysis.”

The Army’s Pilot Net Zero Water installations* will include:

• Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD;
• Camp Rilea, OR;
• Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico;
• Fort Riley, KS;
• Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA; and
• Tobyhanna Army Depot, PA.

And the Army’s Pilot Neto Zero Waste installations** will
include:

• Fort Detrick, MD;
• Fort Hood, TX;
• Fort Hunter Liggett, CA;
• Fort Polk, LA;
• Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA; and
• US Army Garrison, Grafenwoehr, Germany.

Finally, two installations have volunteered to be Net Zero installations – which means the installations will strive to meet Net Zero
energy, water and waste requirements:

• Fort Bliss, TX; and
• Fort Carson, CO.

We will have more analysis on what this all means in the
context of DOD’s larger investment in sustainability soon. And of course, thanks to our friends at the DOD Energy Blog for their reporting.

* The Army’s December 2010 White Paper defines a Net Zero Water Installation as one that “limits use of potable fresh water then
captures, repurposes or recharges an amount of water equal to or greater than
the amount of water it consumes. The net zero water strategy is of increasing
importance since scarcity of clean potable water is quickly becoming a serious
issue in many countries around the world.”

** According to the December 2010 Army White Paper, “The
components of net zero solid waste start with reducing the amount of waste
generated, re-purposing waste, maximizing recycling of waste stream to
reclaim recyclable and compostable materials, recovery to generate energy as a
by-product of waste reduction, with disposal being non-existent.”

Photo: Image depicting the Army's concept for a Net Zero hierarchy. Courtesy of the U.S. Army.