WASHINGTON, July 19, 2011 -- The Defense Department’s year-old partnership with the Energy Department is paying off, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said here today.
In a keynote speech at the Army and Air Force Energy Forum a few miles from the Pentagon, Lynn noted that he and Deputy Energy Secretary Daniel B. Poneman signed an energy security cooperation memorandum linking the two departments’ efforts, and that Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced yesterday that DOE and DOD will jointly install and operate 18 fuel cells that will provide backup power at eight military installations.
The departments will test how the fuel cells perform in real-world operations, identify technical improvements manufacturers could make to enhance performance and highlight the benefits of fuel cells for emergency backup power applications.
Installations receiving the fuel cells are Fort Bragg, N.C.; Fort Hood, Texas; The U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.; Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.; Picatinny Arsenal, N.J.; Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, Colo.; U.S. Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twenty-nine Palms, Calif.; and the Ohio National Guard, Columbus, Ohio.
“Already, we are working closely with DOE on microgrids, alternative fuels, batteries and energy storage,” Lynn said. “In the coming year, our collaboration will grow, targeting both energy reliability at installations and strike capabilities in operations.”
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