Solar, Wind Power Get Pentagon Boost

San Francisco Chronicle

The U.S. Defense Department will encourage companies to build solar power plants and wind farms on 16 million acres of open land surrounding military bases, making each base less dependent on the nation’s aging electricity grid.

The plan, announced Monday, will help the military cut its $4 billion annual energy bill and help insulate bases from blackouts. About 13 million of the acres involved lie in Western states, primarily California, Arizona and Nevada.

“It’s a clear recognition that renewable energy can contribute greatly to the energy security of our military facilities, particularly in the Southwest,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.