Army seeks energy independence

The Army established a new task force to develop large-scale renewable energy products to deal with energy security problems, rising fuel prices and federal mandates.

At the GovEnergy Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, Army Secretary John McHugh announced the Energy Initiatives Office Task Force will serve as the central managing office for renewable energy projects. The task force will seek strategic and financial collaboration from industry to reach the Army's goal of using 25 percent renewable energy by 2025.

The Army estimates it will spend $7.1 billion during the next 10 years to generate 2.1 million megawatt hours of power annually. The task force will be operational by Sept. 15.