JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. – —
In one day, an Air Force Base can spend $29,863 dollars in electricity and natural gas to operate.
To lower operational costs, the U.S. Air Force Energy Assurance Program has placed energy as a critical component of all operations, encouraging smart energy use and energy efficient behaviors among bases.
This year’s energy action slogan, “Protect the Power,” aims to encourage Airmen to transform the way they use and see energy.
“The energy program is a team effort and we need everyone to be working towards energy efficiency,” said Kevin Rasmussen, 633rd Civil Engineer Squadron consulting energy engineer. “We want to make conserving energy a habit for Airmen.”
At Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, a few platforms are geared to not only reduce energy, but fortify an energy aware culture.
“Along with providing tips to reduce the amount of energy used in the workplace, we have provided tips for Airmen to reduce the amount of energy they use at home in hopes of helping them save some money,” said Rasmussen.
Some tips that can help Airmen save money are turning off computer monitors at the end of the day, unplugging electronics that are not in use and replacing old lightbulbs with low energy light-emitting diode lights.
According to W. Dan Porter, 633rd CES base energy manager, his squadron is working with mission leaders to explore energy resiliency and renewable energy sources that could produce enough power to continue missions during power outages.
“We have joined a study by the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, in researching photovoltaic energy or solar energy,” said Porter. “AFIT is testing the efficiency of different types of solar panels at sites worldwide for one to two years. We are one of those sites and should have two solar panels set up in January.”
As the Air Force takes steps toward researching renewable resources, Airmen can help create an energy-aware culture by simply switching off the lights at the end of the day.
For more information about the Air Force Energy Action Program, contact the 633rd CES Base Energy Management Office at 764-1417.