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U.S. Department of Defense

The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) has set an ambitious goal to improve "energy security"

Its goal is to reduce petroleum use throughout all branches of the military by up to 50% and increase its use of alternative energy sources for all power and fuel consumed by 50%
The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is the single largest consumer of fuel in the world, responsible for 93% of all U.S. government fuel consumption (52% Air Force, 33% Navy, 7% Army and 1% for other DOD uses).

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Bases connected to the grid are vulnerable to power interruptions. Hence, there is a concerted effort to make these bases entirely energy independent, so they can continue to function during power blackouts and fuel delivery interruptions. Forward bases also need their own dedicated source of power.

 

DOD considers power and fuel sources that are independent, mobile, able to be installed and used where they are most needed, and not vulnerable to supply chain interruptions or attack, matters of national security and military preparedness.

DOD Energy Plans

More detail on the DOD's energy plans and programs can be obtained by clicking on the following buttons:

Renewable Energy Grants & Contracts

Each branch of the military has offices dedicated to promoting the use of alternative energy sources by funding research and development in cooperation with the U.S. Departments of Energy and Agriculture. Each branch also has offices that are responsible for procuring alternative energy platforms and supplies. In addition, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) provides funding for alternative energy development, adaptation for mobile and field use, and deployment.

Each branch of the military has offices dedicated to promoting the use of alternative energy sources by funding research and development in cooperation with the U.S. Departments of Energy and Agriculture. Each branch also has offices that are responsible for procuring alternative energy platforms and supplies. In addition, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) provides funding for alternative energy development, adaptation for mobile and field use, and deployment.

DOD Offices Promoting Alternative Energy Use
DOD Offices Promoting Innovation

DOD is continually seeking innovative solutions to solve defense problems. This is the mission and focus of DARPA and the Defense Innovation Unit Experimental (DIUx), which provides non-dilutive capital in the form of pilot contracts for commercial innovation that solves DOD problems. And they do so quickly, usually in under 90 days.

 

Sources of DOD Funding & Procurement

The principal source of funding announcements for DOD related to renewable energy is:

 

The agency page for DOD on Grants.gov often lists 150 funding announcements at a time, many of which are for military weapon development and health and wound treatments. There also are solicitations for research, innovative systems development, and broad agency-wide announcements. While some announcements may not be tied specifically to alternative energy applications, proposals that incorporate alternative energy solutions that meet the solicitation requirements may be submitted.

 

How to Find DOD Funding & Procurement Announcements

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) publicizes funding opportunities primarily by formally soliciting proposals tied to program-specific areas of research and development. The opening "Opportunities" page has an "Explore" navigation bar that allows you to select funding opportunities organized by these program areas, including "Contract," "Energy" and "Manufacturing."

 

Each of the DARPA offices maintain an agency-wide Broad Agency Announcement that offers a mechanism for reaching DARPA with an idea that may fall outside of DARPA’s current priorities, but could be valuable to national security. These opportunities are identified on the opening "Opportunities" page and the pages that follow with the BAA acronym in the solicitation title.

 

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