DoD’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Initiatives

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute describes the energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and its branches. It details strategic goals for the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force to reduce fossil fuel reliance, improve operational security, and meet federal mandates for greenhouse gas reductions and renewable energy procurement.

• The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is the largest energy user in the United States and has established a coordination office and an Operational Energy Strategy as of 2011 to manage energy security and efficiency.
• The Army aims to achieve 'net-zero' energy—where an installation produces as much energy on-site as it consumes—for five installations by 2020 and an additional 25 by 2030.
• The Department of the Navy (DoN) and Marine Corps have set targets to produce 50 percent of shore-based energy from alternative sources by 2020, with half of their installations reaching net-zero by the same year.
• The Marine Corps intends to reduce its need for liquid fossil fuel by 50 percent by 2025, restricting liquid fuel use exclusively to mobility systems.
• The Air Force aims to source 50 percent of its domestic aviation fuel from alternative fuel blends by 2016 and has set a long-term goal for Forward Operating Bases to operate on renewable energy by 2030.
• The DoD is subject to several federal mandates, including the National Defense Authorization Act of 2010, which requires 25 percent of total facility energy use to come from renewable sources starting in 2025.
• The DoD has implemented diverse renewable energy projects across U.S. installations, including the world's second largest photovoltaic project at Nellis Air Force Base, which provides 25 percent of the base's electricity via a 14.2 MW system.

APA

Environmental and Energy Study Institute (2011). DoD’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Initiatives. https://www.eesi.org/files/dod_eere_factsheet_072711.pdf

Chicago

Environmental and Energy Study Institute. DoD’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Initiatives. 2011. https://www.eesi.org/files/dod_eere_factsheet_072711.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |title=DoD’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Initiatives |date=July 2011 |url=https://www.eesi.org/files/dod_eere_factsheet_072711.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{environmentalandenergystudyinstitute2011dods, author = {{Environmental and Energy Study Institute}}, title = {{DoD’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Initiatives}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2011}, month = jul, url = {https://www.eesi.org/files/dod_eere_factsheet_072711.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }