SERDP and ESTCP’s Energy and Water program area supports the demonstration of innovative technologies to reduce the Department of Defense’s (DoD) installation energy consumption and carbon footprint, improve energy security, and facilitate water conservation.

DoD manages more than 300,000 buildings on some 500 installations throughout the United States. As the nation’s largest single energy consumer, DoD spends close to $4 billion every year on facility energy consumption. Fixed installations and the non-tactical vehicles used on them contribute nearly 40 percent of the military’s greenhouse gas emissions.

DoD has made energy policy a high priority. Its goal is to improve energy conservation and efficiency, reduce water and energy demand, and increase the use of renewable energy. Advances will provide military installations with increased flexibility, lower costs, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

SERDP and ESTCP invest in innovative technologies and methods to help achieve these goals. Through the Energy and Water program area, DoD’s installations serve as a test bed for cutting-edge technologies developed by researchers from industry, universities, and federal agencies. By reducing real and perceived risks, these demonstrations accelerate the broader deployment of innovative energy technologies across DoD.

Areas of investment include:

• technologies that support sustainable building design and operations, including innovative energy-efficient lighting, heating, and air conditioning systems
• renewable energy, such as solar and wind power, and other distributed-energy generation sources
• systems that enable better management of energy resources, such as improved energy storage and control techniques
• methods and technologies to reduce water demand