EPA officials recognize Air Force for leading renewable energy, Dyess among greenest AF bases Published Feb. 21, 2008 TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Environmental Protection Agency officials recently named the Air Force to the agency's National Top 25 List of green power purchasers. Selected as No. 3, Air Force officials demonstrated their commitment to protecting the environment and built upon its existing affiliation with EPA's Green Power Partnership. Air Force officials purchased more than 899 million kilowatt-hours, or kWh, of green power annually, which is enough green power to meet approximately 9 percent of the organization's purchased electricity use. EPA officials updated each of its National Top Partner lists, highlighting some of America's largest green power purchasers. The Air Force also ranked No. 1 on EPA's Top 10 Federal Government List. Each list highlights EPA Green Power Partners that have completed the largest annual voluntary purchases through Jan. 8. EPA's updates its Top Partner Lists quarterly at http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/toplists/. "This is a huge honor and we are proud to be recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency," said Lt. Col. Navnit Singh, the Air Force Facility Energy Center director at Tyndall Air Force Base. "Purchasing green power helps our organization become more sustainable, while also sending a message to others across the U.S. that supporting clean sources of electricity is a sound business decision and an important choice in reducing climate risk. The Air Force's commitment to green power helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions while also supporting the development of new renewable generation capacity nationwide." Fifty-four Air Force bases as well as numerous Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard bases participated in the renewable power purchase program in fiscal 2007, including two -- Minot AFB, N.D. and Dyess AFB, Texas -- that purchased 100 percent of their electricity from renewable sources. These initiatives are complemented by an on-base wind farm and photovoltaic system at Ascension Island, landfill gas power generation at Hill AFB in Utah, wind generation at F.E. Warren AFB in Wyoming, and a photovoltaic system at March Air Reserve Base in California, as well as installation of smaller renewable projects at other bases. Green power is electricity that is generated from environmentally preferable renewable resources, such as wind, solar, geothermal, landfill gas, biomass and low-impact hydro. These resources generate electricity with a net zero increase in carbon dioxide emissions, while offering a superior environmental profile compared to traditional power generation sources. Green power purchases also support the development of new renewable energy generation sources nationwide. According to the EPA, the Air Force's green power purchase of more than 899 million (kWh) is equivalent to avoiding the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of more than 128,000 passenger vehicles per year, or is the equivalent amount of electricity needed to power nearly 90,000 average American homes annually. Air Force Facility Energy Center officials provide engineering, management and legal expert services to support facility energy reduction and water conservation initiatives, and renewable energy development to Air Force bases to meet Air Force and federal policies and directives.