Department of Defense Defends Solar Energy and Made in the USA

Formally known as "The Ike Skelton National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011" HR 6523 "the "defense authorization act", now requires the Department of Defense to purchase only 'Made in the USA" solar panels, otherwise known as "photovoltaic devices." For some this may not seem like a big deal, but for China, many foreign companies manufacturing on US soil and the United States Military is it.

This recently passed law requires that all contract to provide solar panels for the US Department of Defense include that all "photovoltaic devices provided under the contract to comply with the Buy American Act." But not only does it require that they are "Made in the USA," but that other environmentally friendly practices and technology be used including "energy savings performance contracts, utility service contracts, land leases, and private housing contracts," as long as "such contracts result in ownership of photovoltaic devices by the Department of Defense." This rule applies to all solar panels that are licensed for or installed on property owned by the Pentagon. This means good news for many military bases, but for many it is bad news. While this law is not meant to "affect positively or negatively any particular supplier" China, the current leading supplier or solar panels may find this law to negatively affect their economy.

This doesn't mean that the solar panel manufacturers must be American companies, but that the determining factor is that 50% of the product must be made on American soil in order to be eligible to be used by the Dept. of Defense.

U.S. Rep. Maurice Hinchey, (D-N.Y) participated in drafting the act says, "We've had a lot of money taken out of this country and invested in other places around the world, particularly China, and particularly in alternative energies," he said in an interview by phone. "For them to be producing alternative energy, that's great, but we need to do it ourselves, and as much of it as possible."

Made in USA Solar Panel Manufacturers Excited about the Future

The state of Oregon is home to SolarWorld in Hillsboro, Oregon, a German owned company with plants and offices that employs approximately 1,000 workers. Ben Santarris, SolarWorld public-affairs manager says, "It has the effect of helping to begin evening the playing field with China." and "It's great to have the value of solar energy in national security recognized by the federal government."

Because of the friendly green nature of Oregon, both economically and environmentally, other solar panel manufacturers may be looking to Oregon and other states in the West/Northwest to establish their own plants.

Some may say, "What's the big deal? How much solar power could the Department of Defense be interested in? You may be surprised by the current need for solar power by the US military and the "bright" hopes for the future.

Many military bases are using energy based on solar power. Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada is home to 140 acres of solar panels which can generate 14.2 megawatts of power a day. This is even greater than the Serpa Power Plant in Portugal, which held the record as the largest solar farm in the world, which generates 11 megawatts of power a day. SolarWorld provided Buckley Air Force Base in Colorado with solar panels and plans are in the works to supply them to historic Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. An Oregon solar panel manufacturer, Grape Solar, of Eugene, recently sold $500,000 worth of solar panels to a U.S. military contractor. The Army currently has plans to build a 500 MW solar thermal power plant at Fort Irwin, California.

What are the benefits of solar power to the military?

The use of solar power in remote areas actually could save money and make our armed forces that much safer. There will be less need for heavy equipment, and it can reduce the need for expensive and dangerous petroleum shipments. According to the New York Times, "The American military is a rapidly growing consumer of renewable energy products, because it is extremely expensive and frequently dangerous to ship large quantities of fuel into remote areas of Iraq and Afghanistan."

Solar tents are currently being utilized to power all of the sophisticated equipment housed within the tents.

Universal solar rechargers connected to flexible solar cells are being used by troops to power their equipment.

In the future analysts estimate that the Pentagon may become one of the largest purchasers in the solar panel market, spending in excess of $1 billion a year.

One very ambitious future project is the use of "space-bound solar panels." The plans are to create and use this type of solar energy within the next 10 years. As the use expands; so does the disadvantages of solar power use. Difficulties in storage, cloud cover, and lack of sunlight remains, leaving some military bases in the dark. The use of space-bound solar panels would create a constant source of energy. Using one kilometer solar panels in space to absorb energy by the son and transferring that energy through microwaves or lasers would solve many of those problems.

It seems that the future of solar power is as bright as the sun, on a warm summer day.

Sources:

New York Times

Oregon Live

MSNBC.com

Treehugger.com

Military Solar Power