It was many years ago that Jimmy Carter had solar panels installed on the white house roof and offered tax credits to Americans using solar energy. Ronald Reagan, in a somewhat thumb-his-nose at prior administration maneuver, had the solar panels removed and the tax credits eliminated. While Reagan probably assumed he was squashing frivolous spending, it goes to show how long we have seen renewable energy as our next step in environmental evolution.
Coming full circle, the army now plans to acquire 4,000 electric vehicles for non-combat use on military bases (and potentially even replacing all non-combat cars which number in the 30,000’s).
This is not the first attempt the government has made to switch to greener resources. The installation of new solar panels and the purchasing of geothermal energy are finding their way into government bases and government buildings. Razer Technologies (NYSE: RZ), a recent favorite of ours is bringing geothermal energy to a city as large as Anaheim showing that mass energy shifts are taking root across the country.
With environmental concerns on the forefront of the societal conscience (as well as political agendas) and petroleum proving to be a costly and rogue resource, it seems all but necessary to make the transition that has been on table for over 7 years. A transfer to clean energy in the government sector is not an easy, or inexpensive, endeavor. But the transition is predicted to save the military 11.5 million gallons of fuel, which will ultimately save government money and contribute to a more environmentally conscious nation.
On a societal level, bringing the use of cleaner energy to mass production will change the average Americans choices. What was once a boutique market, accessible only by the wealthy or eccentric consumers, will become a mainstream purchasing option.
These little clean burning vehicles, which resemble golf carts, may be a little humbling at first but their contribution to a new era in environmental responsibility should not be under estimated. Next in the works are hybrid combat vehicles, albeit out a few years
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