Military Eco Warriors - Should the Army Lead the Change from Oil Dependency?

Developed countries such as Japan, and the US rely heavily on oil imports for their economies and if this supply stops or is constricted then industry will be damaged.

Potentially it is not just the economy that would suffer, our ability to fight an effective long war would also be limited as the US only have 8 years of reserve oil (under current usage). Military vehicles are not known for their environmentally friendly fuel consumption. The vehicles, vessels and aeroplanes of the armed forces require huge amounts of fuel or oil to operate and manufacture.

Military Technologies in our Everyday Life

Will military research into ways to operate more efficiently and effectively help reduce our effects on climate change? In the past, military research has either accelerated the development of new technology or given birth to a new concept. Many of these technologies and concepts are now in our everyday lives long after the conflict passed.

For example, in World War 2 the British Armed Forces developed Radar to protect its public from bombing raids and modern inventions include microwave ovens, GPS, and infrared.

Could the military hold the answers to the battle against climate change? The huge amount of public money spent on research by the military could fund new technology which will have far wider application than just military use.

An example of potential environmental advancement propelled by the armed forces would be if the military could research a more fuel-efficient engine or a more efficient fuel injection method for its vehicles with high fuel consumption. In combat scenarios, fossil fuel-based power generators could be replaced by greener alternatives.

US Army Need Environmental Energy Sources

Current developments suggest the US army are aware of their need for environmental energy sources. A possible solution for the replacement of power generation has been asked for in the form of vehicle mounted energy-conversion efficient wind turbine system.

The military could also go further and lead by example, demonstrating to the civilian industry how substitutes can be found that are economically viable, the main reason being to stop the switchover to greener technologies. If the US were to find a replacement bio fuel that was truly environmentally friendly this could be used to fuel military applications as well as civilian.

It may also be reasonable to call for the military to find new concepts and methods of production that improve current technologies, not just improving performance but also lowering costs, making it more viable for the civilian industries to include them into their everyday lives.

However it would be unreasonable to demand a complete changeover from oil to other technologies any time soon although all new concepts should not depend on oil consumption for production or operation.

Why should the military provide this research? The main aim of the military is to protect the people they serve. The need for this technology is vital for our protection, both from enemies and climate change.