WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 (UPI) -- The U.S. Defense Department needs to "seriously consider" ways to cut energy use on the battlefield, U.S. lawmakers told the defense secretary.
U.S. Reps. Ike Skelton, D-Mo., the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, and Howard McKeon, R-Calif., the ranking member, told U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates it was time to start looking for ways to save energy in war zones.
The lawmakers in a letter to the defense secretary said so-called operational energy made up 70 percent of the Defense Department's energy budget in 2009 at the cost of $9.3 billion.
They say there are many ways to make the battlefield more energy efficient, including better insulation for operational bases and renewable energy alternatives.
The lawmakers told the defense secretary that while it was difficult to adopt new technologies in the battlefield, U.S. warfighters needed to be more prudent in their use of energy.
"We believe there are ample opportunities and technological solutions to reduce our energy footprint in theater which will reduce the logistical and security burdens on our troops," their letter states.
