Isn’t it great when you selfishly do something and it turns out to be good for everybody? The U.S. Army can now add itself to that list.
When the Army announced they were going to build a 500 megawatt solar thermal plant in the California desert, it was hard to believe they were just trying to help the environment. And with good reason. As altruistic as the Army is, it usually isn’t well known for its philanthropy. But if it helps the planet, I won’t stop them from building it.
As it turns out, sustainable energy is safer, suggests Dr. Kevin Geiss, the program director for the project. The Army hired private developers, Clark Enterprises and a Spanish company called Acciona, that will build this massive solar plant at Ft. Irwin, California.
Right now, like many military bases, most of its energy comes from diesel generators—with long, vulnerable lines back to the fuel source. Screw the green movement, solar just makes sense.
The solar plant at Ft. Irwin will require at least 1.5 billion dollars total, and should be ready to crank electrons by 2022. A hefty price, yes, but there is the potential to earn much of it back. Located conveniently right next to high capacity transmission lines, the army can then sell most of the excess energy to southern California; and since Ft. Irwin only needs 35 megawatts at its peak, that leaves 465 to shed.
So what could be next on the irony scale? The CEO of GM driving to work in a Prius?
Read more from Wired Magazine.
After the EU signed Kyoto, requiring it to reduce carbon emissions 8% below 1990 levels by 2012, many products and design changed there, diverging from US standards. Cars, for example, became smaller, lighter; and more fuel efficient. Even US automakers not known for efficiency make 62 MPG cars for Europe. Germany and Spain introduced Feed-in Tariffs that paid homeowners to make solar power on their roofs.But most interestingly, for Americans now considering energy efficient retrofits with a new “Cash for Caulkers” program being considered, a whole new industry was created by the need to supply new energy efficient building innovations. Energy efficient glass.
Imagine a life where you would never have to deal with 
The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the U.S. Department of Energy on Thursday announced that an estimated US $3 billion will be made available for the development of renewable energy projects around the country and made issued the guidance businesses will need to submit a successful application.
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