New Website to Back Hawaii’s Renewables

A new website has been launched to highlight alternative energy efforts sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) in Hawaii, which is fast becoming ground zero for the Navy’s push to develop “green” technologies, officials announced Oct. 30.

The Asia-Pacific Technology and Education Partnership (APTEP), now online at www.aptep.net, focuses its multifaceted approach to renewable energy on Hawaii because of the state’s abundance of reliable wind, solar, bioenergy, wave and geothermal resources.

“Everyone is focused on Hawaii right now,” said Dr. Richard Carlin, head of ONR’s Sea Warfare and Weapons Department. “The studies we’re conducting there and technologies we’re developing will not only help the Navy reduce its need for fossil fuels, but also move the country closer to energy independence.”

Several recent developments have reaffirmed the importance of alternative energy efforts for America’s warfighters, and leaders are putting these issues front and center during October, National Energy Action Month.

The Department of Energy signed a memorandum of understanding in September reaffirming its commitment to alternative energy efforts in Hawaii, dubbed Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative 2.0. At the same time, ONR, as part of the APTEP program, is sponsoring a new study of technologies and power systems, such as smartgrids and microgrids, at three Navy installations on the islands.

“Once we figure out how to make these bases more energy efficient, we can take these new technologies and concepts to other naval bases and ultimately achieve the Navy’s energy goals,” Carlin said.

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus has set a goal for the Department of the Navy to produce or procure one gigawatt of renewable energy by December 2015, and ONR’s investments in smartgrid and microgrid technologies are intended to contribute to that goal.