On the recordMay 26, 2011
The Department of Defense, DOD, has a statutory goal that 25 percent of the energy procured or produced for its facilities must come from renewable sources by 2025. My amendment would simply clarify that direct use solar energy is considered a renewable energy source for the purposes of this requirement. Direct use solar energy technology channels solar energy--in the form of sunlight--into a building to provide interior lighting that is similar to traditional electrically-powered lighting. It can result in tremendous energy savings because it allows much of a building's internal lighting to come from sunlight, relying on electric lighting only in the off-peak evening hours or when sunlight is diminished. It is considered direct use because the sunlight is not converted to electricity prior to being utilized. It is similar to other types of direct use renewable energy technology--geothermal heat pumps and solar thermal devices, for example--that DOD can already use to meet its renewable energy statutory goal. This amendment simply clarifies that direct use solar is considered a renewable source of energy. These changes will provide DOD with the flexibility to meet its energy requirements more quickly and in a more cost-effective way. I respectfully request that my colleagues support this amendment.
