Protecting fuel convoys in Iraq has cost many lives. In fact, according to a recent study, one in eight Army casualties has been the result of protecting fuel convoys in Iraq from 2003-2007. As a result, the United States military is taking a long, hard look at going green, at least as far as moving away from using oil is concerned.
The military has now become the top buyer for state of the art energy-efficient equipment. Some ideas the military is looking into include Navy robots that run on wave energy as well as solar-powered desert bases for the Marines. Of course some of this is also about reducing cost, but it is mostly about saving lives and enhancing the military and their equipment. When not dependent on oil to get from point A to point B, it makes it quite a bit easier to accomplish missions essential to the survival of our military personnel.
Once the military gets some of this high end technology working, it will bode well for the prospects of the same technology becoming commercially available shortly thereafter. Last year, for example, the Marines acquired roll-up solar panels that can fit into backpacks which have reduced the number of batteries necessary in Afghanistan. If the military can test out devices like this, and if they are useful, then that use can be transferred to civilian life. The money the military spends can also help start-up companies that produce these devices by making money available for them to develop more eco-friendly devices.
No comments:
Post a Comment