The United States army announced a conference in Ohio yesterday (August 10) it would be seeking private investors to back ‘large scale’ renewable energy projects on its land.

US secretary of the army, John McHugh, told delegates at GovEnergy of the plans in his keynote address.

Mr McHugh explained the army will set up an Energy Initiatives Office (EIO) task force.

The task force, explained Mr McHugh, will be ‘dedicated to working’ with the private sector to execute large-scale renewable energy projects on Army lands.

He explained: “Renewable energy will help the army increase energy security, generate revenue and cost savings, meet Federal mandates, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and enable net zero energy installations.”

The move comes only days after the US Army announced it base at Fort Bliss, in New Mexico, had been designated by as a ‘pilot integrated installation’ with the aim of achieving net zero energy by 2015.

The army also aims to follow this up net zero water and waste by 2018 at the latest to become energy, water, and waste efficient and secure across its infrastructure.

The army is also seeking industry input regarding regulatory concerns, technology capabilities, project financing capabilities, risk factors and legal or administrative processes which should be expected while developing this project or concept.

Luke Walsh

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