Nellis AFB goes solar.

"North America's largest solar energy plant just went online. Not at some hippie commune or some high-minded company, looking to get into Al Gore's good graces. But at Nellis Air Force Base, just outside of Las Vegas. The 140-acre, 15-megawatt plant is expected to save the base and the surrounding community about a million bucks a year. And it's just the "first step in a new initiative to host private alternative energy producers on its bases across the country," according to Inside the Air Force."

blog.wired.com...

Major saving on energy bills.Good move Nellis,you certainly get good weather for solar power over there.
I hope this spreads to more bases.

"Power produced by the solar array will cut the base's energy costs, saving Nellis roughly $83,000 on its monthly electric bill when the entire system is commissioned.

The solar power system has been under construction since June 2007. The solar farm will cover 140 acres of Nellis land and will consist of approximately 70,000 solar panels when completed.

The units of solar panels are called "trackers" because they track the sun throughout the day. By tracking the movement of the sun, the panels can gather roughly 30 percent more power than fixed systems.

In November, the next five megawatts will be connected to the base electric grid.

The remainder of the 15 megawatts will be commissioned in December, completing the project which will provide the base with renewable energy for years to come."

www.nellis.af.mil...

Pretty cool project!

It is interesting that the military is making attempts at utilizing alternative energy sources.

he service also is using geothermal- and biomass-generated power at bases in Utah, Nebraska and Missouri.SOURCE

This sort of effort by the military is certainly a move in the right direction. However, in the very same article, I was extremely displeased to read that there is a move by the military, at the urging of congress, to produce the power that some bases might utilize through the development and construction of "small nuclear power plants.

“We’ve gotten several requests from members of Congress, which have evolved out of their knowledge of the Air Force leaning forward on energy initiatives, asking the Air Force to take a look, just to consider . . . whether an Air Force base might be an appropriate host, or test bed if you will, for a small nuclear facility,” said Anderson. “Nuclear power is being discussed much more seriously than before.”SOURCE

Frankly, I was dumbfounded. Just when it seemed that "things were heading in the right direction" -- through the use of "safe" forms of alternative energy -- we see that there is a move to utilize nuclear reactors, albeit small ones.

I agree BT,
Good that they are trying the sustainable energy thing,but it sort of cancels out if they are going to supplement it with a reactor.
I bet if all the bases in the US went solar/wind/wave powered they would not need nuclear power at all.
And when they military have finished making the bases sustainable,they could maybe use the skills they have learned to create a solar farm big enough to power a small city.
Wishful thinking I guess..