THE EUROPEAN – SECURITY AND DEFENCE UNION
Being more effective by using less energy
Smart Energy – improving the energy efficiency of NATO’s armed forces by Dr Susanne Michaelis, NATO’s Emerging Security Challenges Division, Brussels
In the late 18th century, when General George Washington offered his fellow General Nathanael Greene the post of chief logistician in his army, Greene initially refused. He considered logistics to be too insignificant a subject to make him famous: “Whoever heard of a quartermaster in history?” Greene’s reluctance to take the lead in logistics still resonates with us today. The more missions are characterised by long distances, rapid deployments and remote locations, the more difficult it becomes to supply forces in a particular fuel.
Logistics at high risk Since the American Revolution, horses have been replaced by vehicles, aircraft and ships, all using fuel instead of hay. The logistical challenge, however, with supply routes being attacked and budgets being cut, remains the same. Indeed, since World War II, the average fuel consumption per soldier has increased more than tenfold due to all the additional equipment that is necessary to fight an unconventional enemy in difficult territory. Add to this the rising price of fuel and it becomes clear why governments are actively seeking to reduce energy consumption: According to some estimates, 3-4 million litres of fuel are used every day in Afghanistan, and by the time one litre of fuel reaches the operational theatre the “fully burdened cost” is between US$ 2 and US$ 12, or more, depending on the distance, protection requirements and means of delivery (e.g. by land or air).
But it is not just the cost factor that is worrying. The more fuel we need to transport, the more we increase the risk for our soldiers. According to the US Department of Defense, from 2003 to 2007 in Iraq and Afghanistan, a total of more than 3 000 Army personnel and contractors were wounded or killed in action from attacks on fuel and water resupply convoys. Hence, in both financial and security terms, having to transport large quantities of energy is a “lose-lose” situation. Can these unfavourable trends be reversed? Are there ways to reduce the military’s dependence on fossil fuel, shrink our logistics footprint and enhance the security of our troops? And can one perhaps even save money in the process?
New energy efficiency concepts The answer to all of these questions is a resounding “yes”. Energy efficient technologies and cultural change that have been successfully introduced for civilian purposes could easily be adapted to serve the military. Renewable energy sources, rechargeable batteries and energy efficient LEDs, to name but a few, “just” have to become more robust, endurable and simpler to use. Some NATO member states have already tested new energy efficiency concepts and these demonstrate that through advanced materials and equipment, such as better insulation, the use of solar power and energy storage systems, as well as behavioural change, the fuel consumption in a camp of 200 to
A field of 480 m2 of solar cells was installed by the Royal Netherlands Army in Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan, in October 2012. The field is producing 200 Photo: Royal Netherlands Army kWh per day. In addition, light tubes were replaced by energy-saving LEDs. The Return on Investment (ROI) was 9-12 months.
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