Guernsey Driving Initiative Proposing Saving Military $1.4 Billion over next 40 Years

Guernsey Briefs Asst. Sec. of Defense on Efforts to Reduce Costs on Alaska Military Bases

Guernsey is helping the military and the federal government find ways to save money on energy, regularly updating top government officials on the progress. Recently, Dr. Ashish Agrawal, who leads Guernsey’s Energy and Utility Solutions team, briefed Brendan Owens, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment about energy-saving efforts at Fort Greely, Alaska. Guernsey has been working with the Army in Alaska for over 20 years.

In 2015, a Guernsey study for the Army found that by changing how heating systems work at Army Garrisons like Fort Greely and Fort Wainwright, the military could save over $1.4 BILLION dollars.

An updated analysis in 2023 shows cost avoidance (or potential savings), of more than $3 BILLION for the same project. The increased savings are primarily due to rising fuel costs, failing infrastructure and the continuing escalation of construction costs.

Decentralizing the heating system means moving away from relying on a 70+ year old centralized heat plant and aged and inefficient steam system to a more efficient, resilient, and multi-fuel (fuel oil, natural gas or renewable energy), heating systems spread across the garrison. This can make the garrison more resilient to energy disruptions and save money due to increased efficiencies and significant avoided capital costs of replacing the centralized plant and steam systems. It also helps the environment by reducing the fuel usage by increased efficiency and using cleaner energy sources.

Last fall, Dr. Agrawal briefed Rachel Jacobson, the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Installations, Energy, and Environment), about similar cost-saving ideas and recommendations for the same installations.

Efforts are under way to implement Guernsey’s recommendations. Once fully implemented it will make a big difference in saving money and reducing carbon emissions.