Jun 11 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Chris Roberts El Paso Times, Texas



The Defense Department is looking for innovative ways to power everything from hand-held GPS systems used by individual war fighters to massive posts where tens of thousands of soldiers live and train. Fort Bliss' commander believes the El Paso region will be central in that transformation.

The local effort could, according to some experts, lead the way in averting a worldwide catastrophe caused by climate change and a growing population ravenous for energy.

Maj. Gen. Howard Bromberg initiated the first "Renewable Energy Rodeo and Symposium," which began earlier this week at Fort Bliss. Also sponsoring the event was the Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center, which is responsible for developing the Army's vehicle fleet. The director of that center spoke about increasing fuel efficiency of those many vehicles, some of which might be tested at Fort Bliss.

The wide variety of combat units arriving at Fort Bliss -- including infantry, tank and combat aviation brigades -- provide a perfect testing ground, Bromberg said. And the persistent sun and wind make it a perfect location to tap into new energy sources, he said.

 "We are at the nexus of all types of energy technologies," he said.

Defense Department officials, spurred in part by lessons learned in nine years of war, are increasingly requiring energy efficiency gains and rewarding alternative fuel use in recent budget cycles, Bromberg said.

Energy is a security concern for

the numerous convoys that stream across Iraq and Afghan istan, Bromberg said during a symposium press conference.

"The (roadside bomb) threat is putting soldiers at risk (even) to move one gallon of fuel across the battlefield," Brom berg said. "Can we do something to reduce that exposure?"

Funding comes from a variety of sources, Bromberg said, including the stimulus bill; the Fort Bliss budget, which has a line for energy efficiency; renovation budgets; and money that is reprioritized locally for renewable energy projects.

"The Army also is working hard to determine the requirements, the concepts of what it will take to power our installations down to the foxhole," said Shawn P. Walsh, director of Army energy policy for the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations and Environment. "We will get funds -- I just can't tell you today how much."

Solar panels are sprouting around Fort Bliss, the first bloom of a self-contained electrical system that Bromberg believes can make the post energy independent by 2025. Four new photovoltaic homes in family housing will be monitored for performance, and a new headquarters building is also running on the power of the sun, he said.

This year, the post will use 10 percent less energy that last year, Bromberg said, mainly a result of unanticipated savings from energy-efficient buildings in both new construction and renovations.

"The money we save in energy costs, the Army lets us keep here on post for other uses," Bromberg said.

Ultimately, Fort Bliss energy independence will depend on a mix of technologies, including solar, wind and a large portion of geothermal expected to be produced on training ranges north of the main post.

But optimism about the role of renewable energy was guarded in symposium presentations. And the consequences could be dire.

Although there is much political debate about the causes and intensity of global warming, "we are pretty sure it's going to be disruptive," said Richard G. Kidd IV, the Department of Energy's Federal Energy Management Program manager.

World population is expected to double in 50 years while production of oil, a limited resource, is expected to decline, said Abbas Ghassemi, New Mexico State University chemical engineering professor and director of an energy research consortium.

"We can't drill, drill, drill our way out of the problem," Ghassemi said. And it is not clear that renewables will fill the gap, he added.

"It's false to give the public the perception that we can solve this problem and it's business as usual," he said. "Something has to give to get a sustainable future."

Locally, it is possible for El Paso to benefit economically from a national emphasis on renewable energy, said Bob Cook, president of the El Paso Regional Economic Development Corp. But it will take substantial technological innovation before alternative energy provides a cost-effective alternative to fossil fuels, he said. Generally, they have the highest cost and the lowest capacity, he said.

Making matters worse, he said, is a recent Pew Research Center study indicating Americans are less willing to pay extra for renewable energy.

"My belief is that in order to pursue this strategy," Cook said, "we're going to have to have a little faith (that there will be) technical innovation that's going to lead to cost reduction."

The number of renewable energy companies that have contacted the corporation about the possibility of relocating in El Paso has jumped from a handful in mid-2009 to more than 40, Cook said. The ones that will be given serious consideration are those looking for ways to reduce production costs.

"We have to change the whole nature of our country," said Terry A. Michalske, of Sandia National Laboratories. "Then you have to demonstrate that that change makes you more effective. That's the role the Army can play, to show we're better for having done this."

Chris Roberts may be reached at chrisr@elpasotimes.com; 546-6136.

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