Navy Sets Course for Installation Resilience with New Energy Strategy
Ocean News
Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations and Environment Lucian Niemeyer, far right, discusses the "Installation Energy Resilience Strategy" document with his staff. The strategy directs the Department of the Navy (DON) to increase mission capability by integrating a higher degree of energy security through reliability, resilience, and efficiency consistent with the DON's energy security framework. Photo credit: Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Paul L. Archer, U.S. Navy
The Department of Navy (DON) has published their new installation energy strategy focused on the delivery of uninterrupted, reliable and high-quality power necessary to meet evolving mission requirements as defined in the National Defense Strategy.
The strategy was signed by Acting Secretary of the Navy, The Honorable Thomas Modly on February 28, 2020 and reflects the DON’s emphasis on addressing energy gaps impacting warfighter readiness using all methods of power generation.
The Installation Energy Resilience Strategy recognizes Navy and Marine Corps shore infrastructure as critical for generating, sustaining and deploying tactical assets. The strategy directs the DON to increase mission capability by integrating a higher degree of energy security through reliability, resilience, and efficiency consistent with the DON’s Energy Security Framework.
“With the guidance, priorities, and metrics in this energy plan, we can focus command attention and scarce resources at every level to deliver substantive results for the enhanced readiness and resilience of our forces,” Modly said. Naval readiness is threatened by aging energy infrastructure: generation, distribution, and back-up systems are degrading the ability of shipyards, piers, maintenance facilities, armories, magazines, training ranges, simulators, weapons systems, and shore-based communications to meet mission readiness.
“This strategy is a major step forward for the Department as we acknowledge the reality that future combat systems will need more power of higher quality and greater resiliency,” said Acting Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and Environment, The Honorable Lucian Niemeyer. He went on to say “It starts with individual efforts to identify mission essential shore assets that must continue to operate in the event of a power outage. Then, we must develop installation energy plans to provide a long-term strategy for investments and projects to meet our resilience goals.”
The strategy provides resources for Navy commanders and energy managers at all levels within the DON. The document includes case studies of successful energy resilience projects at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and Naval Support Activity Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; a guidebook on Congressional authorities enabling industry and community partnerships on energy projects; as well as a compilation of Department of Defense (DOD) and Federal resources and references.
“This strategy is a call to action to urgently implement resiliency and protections for our critical systems needed to defend our nation, if we are successful in strengthening our energy infrastructure, our adversaries will not find success in deterring our resolve” said Niemeyer.
The Installation Energy Resilience Strategy is available here.
