Marine Corps plans solar, biofuel power

[unhappycamper]

Marine Corps plans solar, biofuel power
The Associated Press
Posted : Monday Dec 1, 2008 7:22:34 EST

HONOLULU — Chastened by high fuel prices, the Marine Corps wants its sprawling base at Kaneohe Bay to become energy self-sufficient by 2015.

Its plan involves building a sizable solar power array around Kansas Tower Hill, which could be operating by next fall.

The plan also includes an electricity generating plant that will run primarily on locally grown biofuels, such as sugar cane or palm oil, or jet fuel in emergencies.

“I’m 100 percent sure” the plan will make the base energy independent “by 2020, but I want to be more aggressive in that goal, and I want to get there by 2015,” Col. Robert Rice, commanding officer of Marine Corps Base Hawaii, told The Honolulu Advertiser.

The Corps’ effort is one of several that the Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Army are studying for their installations in Hawaii.


Rest of article at: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/12/ap_altpower_120108/%2e