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Author	Topic: White Sands home to Army's largest solar power system	Post a Reply Back to Topics

LetemEatCake Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:5,596 Points:1,202,855 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 4:33:09 PM Ignore LetemEatCake Report Abuse WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, N.M. (Jan. 17, 2013) -- The U.S. Army dedicated its largest solar photovoltaic system at White Sands Missile Range, Jan. 16, in a ceremony led by Brig. Gen. Gwen Bingham, White Sands commander, joined by Katherine Hammack, assistant secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment. "I came here about four months ago talking about how White Sands is a national treasure and now we can feel proud that we're really on the environmental edge," Bingham said. "It takes passion to do something like this. I'm just excited about the journey that will lie ahead." Developed in coordination with the U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center in Huntsville, Ala., Siemens Government Technologies, Inc., and Bostonia, the over-four-megawatt White Sands Missile Visit Army.mil for full article

LetemEatCake

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Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 4:33:09 PM

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WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, N.M. (Jan. 17, 2013) -- The U.S. Army dedicated its largest solar photovoltaic system at White Sands Missile Range, Jan. 16, in a ceremony led by Brig. Gen. Gwen Bingham, White Sands commander, joined by Katherine Hammack, assistant secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment.

"I came here about four months ago talking about how White Sands is a national treasure and now we can feel proud that we're really on the environmental edge," Bingham said. "It takes passion to do something like this. I'm just excited about the journey that will lie ahead."

Developed in coordination with the U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center in Huntsville, Ala., Siemens Government Technologies, Inc., and Bostonia, the over-four-megawatt White Sands Missile
Visit Army.mil for full article

REPLIES (newest first)Ignore Short Messages

LetemEatCake Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:5,596 Points:1,202,855 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Jan 19, 2013 11:08:48 PM Ignore LetemEatCake Report Abuse Great comments everyone...thanks
drobbbb Champion Author Maryland Posts:3,465 Points:809,535 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Jan 19, 2013 9:42:06 PM Ignore drobbbb Report Abuse should be doing more of this
fencemanNY Veteran Author New York Posts:408 Points:354,965 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Jan 19, 2013 10:14:38 AM Ignore fencemanNY Report Abuse Every building both resi and comm in Arizona,New Mexico,Texas and Florida should be retro fitted to produce electricity from the sun. Lets use our forgein aid dollars from the middle east for it.
jwalkerh Champion Author Louisiana Posts:6,127 Points:1,368,545 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Jan 19, 2013 4:40:11 AM Ignore jwalkerh Report Abuse Great news, thanks.
Palantas All-Star Author Indianapolis Posts:803 Points:411,745 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Jan 19, 2013 2:16:54 AM Ignore Palantas Report Abuse USA! USA!
roadrunnerMO Champion Author Kansas Posts:8,396 Points:1,697,515 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Jan 19, 2013 1:18:25 AM Ignore roadrunnerMO Report Abuse nice...
quasar502 Champion Author Lansing Posts:3,568 Points:798,425 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: Jan 19, 2013 12:19:03 AM Ignore quasar502 Report Abuse Interesting ... And surprising.
Carol7777 All-Star Author Houston Posts:712 Points:145,285 Joined:Dec 2012	Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 10:38:14 PM Ignore Carol7777 Report Abuse White Sands is defintely one place solar energy could work. Glad to see government putting money where it's mouth is.
eschroth442 Champion Author Cleveland Posts:1,064 Points:329,720 Joined:Nov 2011	Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 10:27:42 PM Ignore eschroth442 Report Abuse this works when your in the middle of a desert and out in the middle of nowhere. Not very good in the northeast or northwest.
CC55 Champion Author Georgia Posts:1,307 Points:1,395,675 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 10:21:30 PM Ignore CC55 Report Abuse Very good news!!!!
NHLiveFree Champion Author New Hampshire Posts:11,076 Points:1,620,255 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 10:20:00 PM Ignore NHLiveFree Report Abuse Glad you are so interested in our U.S. Army VomVom, but it is no surprise that an oil industry employee and investor is so worried about solar energy. Your routine API misinformation on the subject fails to note the life cycle expense of solar power is exceptional and beats any form of fossil fuel powered energy system. It also takes our Armed Forces out of harm's way in the role of cop of the world to protect Big Oil's investments around the globe, but esp. in the Middle East. WSMR is a missile test range first and foremost and is also the site for several advanced weapons projects. It is NOT a National Park or Wildlife Refuge. Thankfully, our Army's engineers and technical specialists comprehend the energy requirements here and select the best systems possible to meet this important base and test ranges' power demands. [Edited by: NHLiveFree at 1/18/2013 10:21:32 PM EST]
dodsworth All-Star Author Salem Posts:762 Points:293,005 Joined:Jul 2012	Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 9:54:27 PM Ignore dodsworth Report Abuse A good thing!
davenles Champion Author Texas Posts:3,186 Points:715,960 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 9:51:03 PM Ignore davenles Report Abuse A national treasure covered in mirrors.
jl1rp Champion Author New Hampshire Posts:1,800 Points:354,505 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 9:48:24 PM Ignore jl1rp Report Abuse 18 years to break even at listed saving.
MINIWINI598 Champion Author Washington Posts:3,002 Points:515,775 Joined:Dec 2011	Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 9:27:02 PM Ignore MINIWINI598 Report Abuse Interesting..
RRBC Champion Author Victoria Posts:2,695 Points:527,015 Joined:Oct 2011	Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 9:21:36 PM Ignore RRBC Report Abuse Didn't know the Army used solar.
pricewar Champion Author Ogden Posts:1,930 Points:272,290 Joined:Jul 2012	Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 8:37:55 PM Ignore pricewar Report Abuse Solar panels make great targets
TomT2Lee Champion Author Cincinnati Posts:5,352 Points:1,595,505 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 7:46:20 PM Ignore TomT2Lee Report Abuse So burning through huge piles of tax payer dollars to install solar panels is a great thing? More blowing sunshine into dark, dank places.
MadFueler All-Star Author Winston-Salem Posts:907 Points:169,585 Joined:Sep 2012	Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 7:41:28 PM Ignore MadFueler Report Abuse Here is a working, permanent link: White Sands home to Army's largest solar power system (LetemEatCake: I used the "Insert Link" link to the left of the text box.) It's good to see the government making less demand on consumer fuels and tapping renewable energy from a readily available source, which will eventually lower both our fuel cost as well as government spending. Yes, there's a large initial investment, and the initial costs don't seem cheap per gallon or kilowatt-hour for these alternatives, but more is at stake here than just this year's ROI and bottom line. It's about readiness.
LetemEatCake Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:5,596 Points:1,202,855 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 7:37:12 PM Ignore LetemEatCake Report Abuse Try this link: http://www.army.mil/article/94412/White_Sands_home_to_Army_s_largest_solar_power_system/
bar1035 Champion Author Charlotte Posts:9,135 Points:1,295,195 Joined:Aug 2006	Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 7:01:16 PM Ignore bar1035 Report Abuse Bad link - 404 error And this system comes with a 16.4 trillion dollar debt http://www.usdebtclock.org/index.html
BigTruc All-Star Author Memphis Posts:947 Points:778,490 Joined:Jul 2004	Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 6:35:37 PM Ignore BigTruc Report Abuse I hope they are using the power or selling it.
ktbaeohana Champion Author Las Vegas Posts:2,296 Points:420,700 Joined:Mar 2010	Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 6:23:30 PM Ignore ktbaeohana Report Abuse watch and see.
humblepie Champion Author Toledo Posts:34,101 Points:2,368,445 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 6:11:34 PM Ignore humblepie Report Abuse just a huge toilet sucking tax dollars gown it
fedupMN Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:2,939 Points:570,530 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 5:50:14 PM Ignore fedupMN Report Abuse I think this is a goood thing.
djwhit Champion Author Ohio Posts:2,997 Points:1,205,530 Joined:Jul 2009	Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 5:42:20 PM Ignore djwhit Report Abuse THATS GREAT.......
montpelier28 All-Star Author Vermont Posts:603 Points:784,445 Joined:Apr 2010	Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 5:17:56 PM Ignore montpelier28 Report Abuse excellent
skempton Champion Author Vermont Posts:1,129 Points:836,235 Joined:Apr 2010	Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 5:10:36 PM Ignore skempton Report Abuse How long before they are covered by the dunes?
VomVom Champion Author Calgary Posts:3,857 Points:1,627,080 Joined:May 2007	Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 5:10:02 PM Ignore VomVom Report Abuse Yeah, at $5/kWh. Just like the Navy paying $26/gal for biodiesel.
LostInNY Champion Author New York Posts:1,706 Points:645,120 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 5:07:40 PM Ignore LostInNY Report Abuse Wow, solar power used as a weapon?
shashathern Champion Author California Posts:4,078 Points:943,720 Joined:Jul 2010	Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 4:46:51 PM Ignore shashathern Report Abuse r
RAE344 Champion Author Virginia Beach Posts:3,049 Points:658,595 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 4:46:13 PM Ignore RAE344 Report Abuse When our president does away with our missiles, we need to do something with these former sites.
LetemEatCake Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:5,596 Points:1,202,855 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 4:36:58 PM Ignore LetemEatCake Report Abuse OOOps: Try this link: http://www.army.mil/article/94412/White_Sands_home_to_Army_s_largest_solar_power_system/
evowner Champion Author Salem Posts:2,167 Points:356,335 Joined:May 2012	Message Posted: Jan 18, 2013 4:36:04 PM Ignore evowner Report Abuse Self sufficency of energy is a national security issue. Produce your power from renewable resources.