Operational Efficiency Highlighted in Energy Plan

The Air Force Energy Strategic Plan, released on Thursday, builds on the Air Force’s existing energy posture to incorporate energy security and operational energy into the service’s strategic energy priorities, goals, and objectives. The plan shifts the service towards a greater focus on overall operational efficiency versus merely addressing consumption. “We may not always be able to control exactly how much we fly, but we can control substantially how much fuel we use for each amount of flying we do,” Jamie Morin, the Air Force’s acting undersecretary, told reporters during an energy roundtable in the Pentagon on March 21. The new direction lays out four priorities: improve resiliency, reduce demand, assure supply, and foster an energy-aware culture. With these in mind, the Air Force will assess opportunities to make changes in flying and training operations to use less fuel, work more aggressively with private industry on renewable energy facilities, and integrate energy awareness in professional development and technical training, states the plan. “We are not, and will not, accept the notion that one has to choose between energy efficiency and mission accomplishment, said Morin. (Air Force Energy Strategic Plan, caution, large-sized file.) (See also Energy Horizons Released.)