Maj. Sean M. Sadlier (left) of the U.S. Marine Corps Expeditionary Energy Office explains the solar power element of the Expeditionary Forward Operating Base concept to Col. Anthony Fernandez during the testing phase of this sustainable energy initiative here, May 19. The ExFOB is designed primarily for use by small Marine Corps units at forward operating bases in Afghanistan. Fernandez, a Marine Corps Reservist with a combined 28 years in the Corps, is the African Lion 2010 task force commander here.

Marines here at exercise African Lion are currently testing a new environmentally-friendly energy system which will enable deployed troops to purify water, light their tents and power their equipment through solar energy and leverage technology.

“Basically, you can take water from any source, even waste water, put in it in the SLMCO (water purifier), shoot it through the reverse osmosis process and put it right in your Camelback and drink it,” said Capt. Adorjan Ferenczy, the engineer analyst for the Expeditionary Forward Operating Base program, or ExFOB.

Ferenczy explained that the system can also provide LED lights for a medium-sized general purpose tent and power outlets for small electrical items.

A mechanical engineer by trade, Ferenczy, 31, came into the Marine Corps in 2005 after working for a major vehicle manufacturer in his home town of Detroit for several years.

According to Ferenczy, the Commandant of the Marine Corps directed the Marine Corps Energy Assessment Team to go to Afghanistan in September 2009 to conduct an assessment of the energy used by deployed Marine units and report back with findings.

“The Commandant has said, ‘Let’s not only lighten the load, but let’s reduce risk to Marines downrange by reducing our reliance,” said Brig. Gen. Robert Hedelund, the commanding general of the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab and vice chief of Naval Research in a March 2010 interview.

If implemented, the ExFOB concept will significantly reduce troops’ reliance on drinking water and generator fuel, which are transported from larger bases in Afghanistan to troops operating at remote sites by truck convoy.

These convoys are frequent targets for insurgents, so the premise is simple: reducing the number of convoys through the use of alternate energy sources for troops’ daily sustenance will directly reduce the number of U.S. casualties in overseas contingency operations.

This need to find sustainable energy solutions has been echoed by leaders throughout the U.S. Department of Defense, and all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces are currently evaluating alternate energy capabilities.

“The Marine Corps has taken the lead on exploring the use of these energy sources for tactical, small-unit use,” said Maj. Sean M. Sadlier, a logistics analyst with the U.S. Marine Corps Expeditionary Energy Office.

Sadlier, a logistics officer with 15 years in the Corps, came here with his team in mid-May to test the ExFOB equipment in the harsh climate of southern Morocco.

The ExFOB team here is comprised of Marine Corps officers, staff non-commissioned officers, government service employees and contractors from Marine Corps Systems Command, the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab, Marine Corps Installations and Logistics office, Marine Corps Expeditionary Energy Office and the Marine Corps Power Surety Task Force.

Here in southern Morocco, the ExFOB team of experts is conducting a week-long assessment of their prospective piece of gear.

The test is being done in conjunction with about a thousand troops participating in African Lion 2010, a month-long theater security cooperation exercise led by Marine Forces Africa, with the preponderance of troops coming from Marine Forces Reserve units across the United States.

When the ExFOB team returns to their respective offices in Northern Virginia later this month, they will make their recommendations to the Executive Integrated Processing Team, which consists of high-ranking Marine Corps general officers and senior U.S. government service employees.

“If they determine that the juice is worth the squeeze, they approve the project and the concept becomes a reality,” said Ferenczy.

The ExFOB is currently in the extended user-evaluation phase. At this year’s African Lion, troops from Marine Wing Support Squadron 273, based out of Beaufort, S.C., assisted the ExFOB team in assembling and evaluating their system on a Spartan logistics support area.

It took 16 Marines three hours to assemble the unit, which the ExFOB team is actually using for billeting during their stay here.

“They did a fine job considering they hadn’t seen the ExFOB before they took it out of the box,” said Gunnery Sgt. Michael Polson, the MWSS-273 Utilities Platoon staff non-commissioned officer-in-charge.

The LSA where the Marines erected the ExFOB resembles a large, unpaved parking lot, and is about 800 meters by 400 meters.

The Marines and U.S. civilians living there are covered daily in the ubiquitous dirt and grit which the wind blows up from the surface that the Marines graded, leveled and compacted with heavy equipment shipped over from the States.

The Marines of MWSS-273 and their Navy SEABEE counterparts have lived, worked and sweated together for several weeks now, developing the logistics support area.

In this unique landscape, the Cap Draa Desert runs straight into the Atlantic Ocean. The climate is therefore ideal for testing the ExFOB, as the system is subject to the sand, dust and wide flux of temperatures that are found in the desert, as well as the strong winds that blow in from the Atlantic.

Additionally, the severe overcast weather May 18 to 20 challenged the solar-powered generation system, which is the main power source for the system.

“I think it’s doing really well,” said Sadlier. “Our plan is to start out small and increase the power load to see how it performs. So far, it’s holding up pretty well and producing more energy than is being used.”

The product will go through a second phase of testing this summer at Enhanced Mojave Viper in Twentynine Palms, Calif., with 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment.

Sadlier said that the entire end-user evaluation, decision-making, and procurement process is expected to take about a year from this point.

If the ExFOB system is procured and fielded in 2011, small units in Afghanistan can mount the SLMCO water purifier unit to their vehicles, drive out to a water source such as a river or stream on a security patrol, purify a hundred gallons of water and bring it back to base.

They can also use the system on their remote positions to have a well-lit, medium-sized, weatherproof tent with electric outlets to power their computers, tactical radios, electric razors, IPODs and other small electronics items.

Sadlier added that the ExFOB will also be more tactically sound than traditional generators, as the solar panels silently transform sunlight to electricity, whereas traditional generators are noisy and can give away the position of a command operations center on an expeditionary base.

So in the end, the ExFOB is intended to not only cut down on consumption of fossil fuels and help protect the environment, it will also make overseas contingency operations safer for Marines; and a little more comfortable.

“This stuff isn’t new; it’s already being used by humanitarian relief agencies in austere environments. It’s just new to the Marine Corps,” said Sadlier. “The Commandant wants to focus on [Marine Corps] companies and platoons using this equipment at combat outposts and forward operating bases. We need to make sure that it works; and that it works in the kind of environment where our Marines are going to operate.”

DVIDS

Spc. Dean Kalogris, from Headquarters Company, Fort Bliss, Texas, charges the installation's command sergeant major's electric car, which has been in use for about nine months. The cars, which are made from recycled plastic and can reach speeds of 25 mph, are driven by the base leadership as a demonstration of their commitment to helping keep energy costs down, and protecting the environment. Photo Credit: Maj. Deanna Bague, Fort Bliss Public Affairs

Fort Knox, Ky., has good dirt.

Using ground-source heat pumps, the installation staff has cut their natural gas requirement in half.

“They have wonderful dirt in Kentucky,” said Kevin Geiss, director for the Army’s energy security program.

Ground-source heat pumps are electrically-powered systems that tap into the earth’s relatively constant temperature to provide heating, cooling and hot water for buildings, explained Geiss.

The base’s soil is doubly efficient and also produces Devonian shale, a fine-grained sedimentary rock which turns out methane gas. Enough natural gas is harvested through the shale to last the summer months, Geiss said.

These efforts and many others follow the Army’s goal of “Transforming the Army … Sustaining the Environment.” Outlined in an Earth Day message signed by the chief of staff of the Army, secretary of the Army, and the sergeant major of the Army, the Army’s theme for Earth Day 2010 focuses on environmental stewardship.

“Earth Day provides the Army with the opportunity to reassert our commitment to environmental sustainability and energy security, critical to protecting the earth, protecting lives and supporting our mission requirements,” reads the message.

Twenty-eight major Army installations have long-term sustainability plans, which include seeking alternative energy methods, ensuring safe disposal of radioactive waste and conservation.

And while Geiss recognizes that the Army’s main purpose is national defense, he said considering the environment when conducting operations is a must.

“Without power and energy, the Army lies silent,” said Geiss. “The tanks don’t run, the helicopters don’t fly. We can’t even conduct our training mission here in the U.S. without the electricity supporting those missions and operations … it really is a thread that runs through everything that we do.”

But Geiss assured that the Army doesn’t get an “environmental free pass.”

“At the end of the day, what the nation is asking us to do is to protect it. That’s what we’re measured upon. As we do that, the question is, have we engaged in all the feasible measures to ensure sustainability?”

Tad Davis, the deputy assistant secretary of the Army for Environment, Safety and Occupational Health, agreed with Geiss and said the Army does its best to be a good steward of its 4 million acres of land.

“The importance of Earth Day to the Army is huge because it allows us to reaffirm our commitment to environmental stewardship, development and implementation of sustainable practices and energy security,” Davis said. “We believe these efforts will reinforce the readiness of the Army and enhance our ability to accomplish the mission.”

Davis said that considering the environment is an obligation when taking on any Army project.

“There’s a tremendous amount of things that we’ve done that we can take great pride in, but there are also a lot of things we need to do so that we can preserve this planet for future generations of Americans to enjoy,” Davis explained.

He also talked about the Department of Defense’s goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions down by 34 percent by 2020, an effort that parallels the Army’s goal to narrow its “carbon boot print.”

Similarly, the DoD tries to reduce the use of radioactive material by recycling items whenever possible.

Kelly Crooks, the chief of the radioactive waste operations division at Rock Island, Ill., said the Army safely disposes of a significant amount of low-level radioactive waste.

“There’s hundreds of different items, if not thousands,” Crooks said of the plethora of radioactive materials that can be found in everyday items such as battery-powered watches. “Every post, camp and station generates some radioactive waste.”

The most commonly-disposed material by the Army is depleted uranium, which can be found in armor-penetrating ammunition, said Crooks.

Usually disposed of by burial, designated areas have engineered disposal waste trenches or containers to hold the waste.

“There are typically several layers of protection in any area,” said Crooks.

Crooks explained that when burying an item, the contaminated element is usually buried solo to minimize space usage, while the non-contaminated container and additional parts are either recycled or destroyed separately.

For example, he said the Army works with the Department of Energy on recycling Tritium, a radioactive gas used for illumination. When the Army has excesses of the material, it often contacts the Department of Energy, which has a need of the item.

This inter-governmental recycling partnership contributes to the government’s goal of reducing energy consumption, an objective which government agencies were awarded a total of $700 million in stimulus funds to achieve.

On Earth Day, Army installations throughout the U.S. will be participating in activities such as the “office supply swap,” and ‘carpool to work challenge’ at Fort Meade, Md., and using electric cars such as at Fort Bliss, Texas.

“Each member of the Army community — Soldiers, family members, civilians, and contractors — must actively promote innovate thinking and action to take care of our planet,” reiterates the Army’s Earth Day message.

U.S. Army

Solar power is an option, even in the Northeastern United States.

Kevin Flynn and Ryan Wig fasten solar panels on the roof of the 99th Regional Support Command headquarters building on Fort Dix, N.J., June 1.

Officials unveiled a new solar-panel array atop the 99th Regional Support Command Headquarters during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Fort Dix, N.J., Sept. 3.

The 1,204 solar photovoltaic panels atop the building will produce an estimated 310,000 kilowatt-hours of energy per year while eliminating 2,177 tons of airborne toxins and saving more than $160,000 annually.

This financial savings can, in part, be invested in the nation’s Citizen-Soldiers, according to Maj. Gen. William Monk III, commanding general, 99th Regional Support Command (RSC).

“As we continue to meet the Army’s needs for relevant, ready forces to fight the long war, the money that the Army Reserve saves here can be used instead to provide the equipment and other resources needed to ensure its Soldiers are trained and equipped to the highest standards,” Monk said.

These solar installations are part of a $17.6-million program that will decrease energy consumption on Fort Dix by almost 10 percent and water use by more than five percent. The post will finance the program through energy and operational savings guaranteed by contractor Honeywell International under a performance contract with the Army spanning the next 23 years.

“Fort Dix has always excelled at any mission it has ever been assigned,” said Col. Patrick J. Slowey, installation commander, “and today’s mission of employing renewable energy sources, reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and helping to preserve our environment is no different.”

Moving toward renewable energy sources such as solar power – and away from non-renewable sources such as fossil fuels – offers several benefits, according to U.S. Rep. John Adler, 3rd District, N.J. “Today is a small but significant victory for America’s national security,” Adler said, explaining that over-reliance on foreign-produced fuel sources limits U.S. negotiators in matters of foreign policy.

“It’s also a great victory for our national economy,” he added, noting that the New Jersey based Honeywell International installed the 99th RSC HQ solar array, along with a similar array at a controlled-humidity warehouse on Fort Dix.

These projects are the first of several energy upgrades planned by Fort Dix and Honeywell that include boiler controllers, replacement of current heating and air conditioning systems, replacement of current lighting with energy efficient ballasts and lamps, water reuse for golf course irrigation, and an energy monitoring control system.

“Working with the leaders and energy experts at Fort Dix, we identified the retrofits and renewable energy source that would help the post meet its efficiency and climate targets, and provide the greatest return on investment,” explained Kevin Madden, vice president, Honeywell Global Sales.

“The return on investment will be good for the taxpayer,” said Jean M. Fox, president, New Jersey Board of Utilities. “We’re proud to highlight projects like the Fort Dix project. It’s a role model for other facilities.”

U.S. Army
By Shawn Morris, Fort Dix Public Affairs

Four 225-kilowatt wind turbines help produce power for Ascension Auxiliary Airfield, a small base belonging to the 45th Space Wing. The base is located on the British-owned island of Ascension, which is positioned in the South Atlantic Ocean several thousand miles from the coast of Africa. U.S. Air Force photo by Lance Cheung

A small Air Force Space Command base on the British-owned island of Ascension uses natural energy to help power its facilities.

Called Ascension Auxiliary Airfield, the small base serves as a satellite tracking station for the 45th Space Wing.

Located in the South Atlantic Ocean several thousand miles from the coast of Africa, it is the most southerly tracking facility for space launches from Cape Canaveral, Fla.

The base uses a number of environmentally friendly methods to produce power, including wind turbines and a solar farm.

The environmental achievements accomplished on Ascension Island aren’t going unnoticed. The base has received numerous awards, the most recent was the 2008 Gen. Thomas D. White Environmental Quality Award for an overseas base.

This award is presented by the Air Force chief of staff to an installation located outside the United States that demonstrates exceptional environmental achievement with consideration given to the host country environmental standards and the level of cooperation between the installation and the local community.

“We have a great relationship with the people of Ascension and the Royal Air Force,” said Maj. Jay Block, commander of the 45th Space Wing’s Detachment 2 on the island. “We’ve worked hand-in-hand to accomplish a lot of our environmental and conservation programs.”

In 1996, Air Force Space Command officials installed four 225-kilowatt wind turbines on the island to supplement the station’s electrical power supplied by fuel-driven generators. The idea to build a wind farm was actively pursued because of the island’s remote location, its steady winds and the high cost of fuel oil shipments.

“We’re in an isolated location here, so we’re pretty self-sufficient when it comes to power generation,” Major Block said.

Once the turbines were operational, the base became the first to use wind energy in the Department of Defense.

“Once the turbines were up and running, no one really knew what to expect,” said Damien Cuello, who works at the airfield’s power plant.

But, the results were almost immediate.

During its first four months of operation, the four three-blade turbines produced more than 1 million kilowatt hours of electricity. And, with an average wind speed on the island of 16 to 17 miles per hour, the wind generators produce an estimated 2.5 million kilowatt hours of energy each year. Fuel oil consumption is also down by nearly 300,000 gallons for an annual savings of $350,000.

“In fact, the project, which cost around $3 million, has already paid for itself,” said Jim Henning, the base’s utilities supervisor.

And the base isn’t only using wind to help power its grid; it’s also using the sun. Located near the flightline, the base installed a solar farm that helps power the lights lining the runway.

“Sure, saving money is nice, but showing that wind and solar energy work will hopefully make other people and other bases think, ‘Hey, maybe we should look into that,’” Mr. Jennings said.

Air Force
by Staff Sgt. Matthew Bates
Defense Media Activity-San Antonio

A solar wall collects rays at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. Two of these walls hang on the outside of the 3rd Logistics Readiness Squadron, and have saved base officials $15,000 in energy costs since November 2008 when they were built. U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Christopher Gross

Air Force officials installed their first solar wall here in November 2008, and have saved the base $15,000 in energy bills so far.

Francis Sheridan, the Elmendorf Air Force Base resource efficiency manager, was responsible for brainstorming the idea to install solar walls on the west and east sides of the 3rd Logistics Readiness Squadron as a way to save the Air Force money.

“It is a passive solar heating system, said Mr. Sheradin, explaining how the solar wall works. “It’s a preheat for our outside air. It’s a perforated piece of sheet metal that hangs outside in ideal situations.”

He said once the air is ventilated inside the building, it is already 10 degrees or more warmer than the outside temperature. This means less energy is being used to heat the air, which saves money.

Even though the solar wall is an efficient money saver, it is not all that new. The solar wall was developed after much research and several prototypes done by John Hollick, president of the Conserval Engineering Inc., located in Toronto.

“It actually works better on cold winter days when there’s snow on the ground,” Mr. Hollick said. “The snow will reflect up to 50 percent more sunlight. It is ideally suited for Northern latitudes.”

“More than 1,000 of these systems are out there. We have them in about 30 countries and most took place in the last six years,” Mr. Hollick said.

Mr. Hollick said the solar wall wasn’t initially a big hit when it was first invented because fuel cost was still reasonably low. However, since the high rise in fuel costs during the past decade, ways to conserve energy in some areas has become a top priority.

“The people who put them in seem to really like them. I think it’s the fact there’s no maintenance with it, Mr. Hollick said. It does provide a lot of energy on a sunny day it should heat the air between 30 to 40 degrees.”

As far as for its durability, Mr. Hollick said, “The solar panel itself should last as long as the building because it has no moving parts. It’s all metal construction.”

So far, about 10 of the solar wall structures have been installed at eight Air Force bases in the past six years and future plans for more are under way.

Air Force
by Airman 1st Class Christopher Gross
3rd Wing Public Affairs