{ "id": "R42558", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "number": "R42558", "active": false, "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "versions": [ { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 419141, "date": "2013-03-28", "retrieved": "2016-04-06T23:32:39.509576", "title": "Department of Defense Energy Initiatives: Background and Issues for Congress", "summary": "The Department of Defense (DOD) spends billions of dollars per year on fuel, and is pursuing numerous initiatives for reducing its fuel needs and changing the mix of energy sources that it uses. DOD\u2019s energy initiatives pose several potential oversight issues for Congress, and have been topics of discussion and debate at hearings on DOD\u2019s proposed FY2013 budget.\nBy some accounts, DOD is the largest organizational user of petroleum in the world. Even so, DOD\u2019s share of total U.S. energy consumption is fairly small. DOD is by far the largest U.S. government user of energy. The amount of money that DOD spends on petroleum-based fuels is large in absolute terms, but relatively small as a percentage of DOD\u2019s overall budget. DOD\u2019s fuel costs have increased substantially over the last decade, to about $17 billion in FY2011. Petroleum-based liquid fuels are by far DOD\u2019s largest source of energy, accounting for approximately two-thirds of DOD energy consumption. When DOD\u2019s fuel use is divided by service, the Air Force is the largest user; when divided by platform type, aircraft are the largest user.\nAccording to DOD, currently about 75% of DOD\u2019s energy use is operational energy and about 25% is installation energy. Operational energy is defined in law as \u201cthe energy required for training, moving, and sustaining military forces and weapons platforms for military operations.\u201d Installation energy is not defined in law, but in practice refers to energy used at installations, including non-tactical vehicles, that does not fall under the definition of operational energy.\nDOD\u2019s reliance on fuel can lead to financial, operational, and strategic challenges and risks. Financial challenges and risks relate to the possibility of a longer-term trend of increasing costs for fuel, and to shorter-term volatility in fuel prices. Operational challenges and risks relate to (1) the diversion of resources to the task of moving fuel to the battlefield; (2) the negative impact of fuel requirements on the mobility of U.S. forces and the combat effectiveness of U.S. equipment, and (3) the vulnerability of fuel supply lines to disruption. Strategic challenges and risks relate to getting fuel to the overseas operating area, and ensuring the global free flow of oil.\nAs part of its FY2013 budget submission, DOD has requested more than $1.4 billion for operational energy initiatives in FY2013. DOD\u2019s office of Operational Energy Plans and Programs, headed by the Assistant Secretary of Defense, Operational Energy Plans and Programs (ASD (OEPP)), is responsible for developing DOD policy for operational energy and alternative fuels, and for coordinating operational energy efforts across the services.\nCongress has been concerned with energy policy since the 1970s, and has passed legislation relating to federal government energy use, including DOD installation energy use. Congress has set specific energy-reduction targets for DOD installation energy, but not for operational energy.\nPotential oversight issues for Congress regarding DOD\u2019s energy initiatives include:\nDOD\u2019s coordination of operational energy initiatives being pursued by the military services.\nDOD\u2019s efforts to gather reliable data and develop metrics for evaluating DOD\u2019s energy initiatives.\nDOD\u2019s estimates of future fuel costs.\nDOD\u2019s role in federal energy initiatives.\nThe Navy\u2019s initiative to help jumpstart a domestic advanced biofuels industry.\nThe potential implications for DOD energy initiatives of shifts in U.S. military strategy.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R42558", "sha1": "cb52380fca944872193765223faa8c7b0f90e84c", "filename": "files/20130328_R42558_cb52380fca944872193765223faa8c7b0f90e84c.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R42558", "sha1": "ea0abdee07ae13190c0891fd18bec3e44dfdd80f", "filename": "files/20130328_R42558_ea0abdee07ae13190c0891fd18bec3e44dfdd80f.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc462867/", "id": "R42558_2013Feb11", "date": "2013-02-11", "retrieved": "2014-12-05T09:57:41", "title": "Department of Defense Energy Initiatives: Background and Issues for Congress", "summary": "This report provides background information and identifies issues for Congress on Department of Defense (DOD) energy initiatives. DOD spends billions of dollars per year on fuel, and is pursuing numerous initiatives for reducing its fuel needs and changing the mix of energy sources that it uses. DOD's energy initiatives pose several potential policy and oversight issues for Congress, and have been topics of discussion and debate at hearings on DOD's proposed FY2013 budget. Congress's decisions on DOD energy initiatives could substantially affect DOD capabilities, funding requirements, and U.S. energy industries.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20130211_R42558_d3cbf4eebc8460740de11e3ac8e8368e885bc1a3.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20130211_R42558_d3cbf4eebc8460740de11e3ac8e8368e885bc1a3.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Defense budgets", "name": "Defense budgets" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Defense economics", "name": "Defense economics" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Congress and military policy", "name": "Congress and military policy" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc491036/", "id": "R42558_2012Dec10", "date": "2012-12-10", "retrieved": "2015-01-27T19:40:46", "title": "Department of Defense Energy Initiatives: Background and Issues for Congress", "summary": "This report provides background information and identifies issues for Congress on Department of Defense (DOD) energy initiatives. DOD spends billions of dollars per year on fuel, and is pursuing numerous initiatives for reducing its fuel needs and changing the mix of energy sources that it uses. DOD's energy initiatives pose several potential policy and oversight issues for Congress, and have been topics of discussion and debate at hearings on DOD's proposed FY2013 budget. Congress' decisions on DOD energy initiatives could substantially affect DOD capabilities, funding requirements, and U.S. energy industries.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20121210_R42558_4f347736eac6a9ed5fe49036ab974f90ab0c914c.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20121210_R42558_4f347736eac6a9ed5fe49036ab974f90ab0c914c.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Defense budgets", "name": "Defense budgets" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Defense economics", "name": "Defense economics" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Congress and military policy", "name": "Congress and military policy" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc227770/", "id": "R42558_2012Aug10", "date": "2012-08-10", "retrieved": "2013-11-05T18:07:05", "title": "Department of Defense Energy Initiatives: Background and Issues for Congress", "summary": "Report that provides background information and identifies issues for Congress on Department of Defense (DOD) energy initiatives.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20120810_R42558_e14009283fcc4d4c4d88d953e50fbec2662b4b72.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20120810_R42558_e14009283fcc4d4c4d88d953e50fbec2662b4b72.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Defense budgets", "name": "Defense budgets" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Defense economics", "name": "Defense economics" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Congress and military policy", "name": "Congress and military policy" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc98021/", "id": "R42558_2012Jul20", "date": "2012-07-20", "retrieved": "2012-08-21T08:46:06", "title": "Department of Defense Energy Initiatives: Background and Issues for Congress", "summary": "This report gives an overview of fuel use by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and its pursuit of numerous initiatives for reducing its fuel needs and changing the mix of energy sources that it uses. The report includes an extensive background on DOD fuel use including how the DOD uses and buys fuel, challenges and risks associated with the DOD's fuel use, DOD energy initiatives, and past legislation that addressed DOD energy use; it also presents issues for Congress and legislative action to be addressed during FY2013.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20120720_R42558_97c73e2375e02102c5902709801e9d7d2ddee22a.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20120720_R42558_97c73e2375e02102c5902709801e9d7d2ddee22a.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Defense budgets", "name": "Defense budgets" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Defense economics", "name": "Defense economics" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Congress and military policy", "name": "Congress and military policy" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc96725/", "id": "R42558_2012Jun26", "date": "2012-06-26", "retrieved": "2012-08-07T13:52:45", "title": "Department of Defense Energy Initiatives: Background and Issues for Congress", "summary": "This report gives an overview of fuel use by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and its pursuit of numerous initiatives for reducing its fuel needs and changing the mix of energy sources that it uses. The report includes an extensive background on DOD fuel use including how the DOD uses and buys fuel, challenges and risks associated with the DOD's fuel use, DOD energy initiatives, and past legislation that addressed DOD energy use; it also presents issues for Congress and legislative action to be addressed during FY2013.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20120626_R42558_6a79fae5ad7bef61e0adec5807cc3ee56a9eb22c.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20120626_R42558_6a79fae5ad7bef61e0adec5807cc3ee56a9eb22c.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Defense budgets", "name": "Defense budgets" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Defense economics", "name": "Defense economics" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Congress and military policy", "name": "Congress and military policy" }, { "source": "KWD", "id": "fiscal year 2013", "name": "fiscal year 2013" } ] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc87241/", "id": "R42558_2012Jun05", "date": "2012-06-05", "retrieved": "2012-07-03T07:51:21", "title": "Department of Defense Energy Initiatives: Background and Issues for Congress", "summary": "The Department of Defense (DOD) spends billions of dollars per year on fuel, and is pursuing numerous initiatives for reducing its fuel needs and changing the mix of energy sources that it uses. DOD's energy initiatives pose several potential oversight issues for Congress, and have \r\nbeen topics of discussion and debate at hearings on DOD's proposed FY2013 budget.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20120605_R42558_f0149948bd2bba100552478d5c3c68be2769610a.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20120605_R42558_f0149948bd2bba100552478d5c3c68be2769610a.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Defense budgets", "name": "Defense budgets" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Defense economics", "name": "Defense economics" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Congress and military policy", "name": "Congress and military policy" } ] } ], "topics": [ "Energy Policy", "Environmental Policy", "Foreign Affairs", "National Defense" ] }