Fuelled Up

At a May 18 unveiling of a major new report on energy and national security, the Pentagon’s new acquisition chief announced a plan to push for creation of an energy research partnership with the Energy Department, Defense Environment Alert reports this week:

The Pentagon will approach DOE seeking a partnership that would see DOE focus on fundamental energy research, while DOD concentrates on development work using its testing facilities to advance new technologies beyond the laboratory stage, said Ashton Carter, under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics. He added that the Pentagon would integrate energy efficiency considerations into the acquisitions process. Also, DOD will soon release a new strategy on boosting the energy efficiency of its many installations, a leading DOD energy official says.

Energy will be a driver of much DOD acquisition policy, Carter said, adding: “I’m seeing it cropping up everywhere.” He said DOD spending on energy research and development has tripled over the last two years, and now stands at $1.2 billion, excluding an extra $300 million provided by the economic stimulus package.

Carter told a panel of retired generals and admirals gathered for the launch of a Center for Naval Analyses (CNA) report on energy that DOD will seek to make the most efficient use of its energy research resources and expertise, which are concentrated in the area of technology development, rather than basic research.

DOD will seek a partnership on energy issues with DOE and the White House, and Carter said he would approach Energy Secretary Steven Chu and White House staff on this issue. He said that at DOD, “we have a lot of very good test and demonstration facilities,” while DOE has greater strength in laboratories, so “we ((should)) use their science base, which is richer than ours in this field, to get good ideas.”