Twisted, but true: war often spurs the most fantastic and beneficial technological advances. Witness the airplane, plastics, trauma surgery, color photography, radar and the ubiquitous roll of duct tape.
From the Winds of Change comes word that the next step in renewable energy just might be a battlefield adaptation.
Commanders in Iraq Urgently Request Renewable Power Options.
On July 25, 2006 Al-Anbar commander and U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Richard Zilmer submitted an MNF-W priority 1 request pointing to the hazards inherent in American supply lines, and noted that the up to many of the supply convoys on Iraq's roads (up to 70%, by some studies) are carrying fuel.Much of that fuel isn't even for vehicles - it's for diesel generators used to generate power at US bases et. al. In response, the document requests alternative energy solutions to power US forward operating bases... and the US military looks like it will act on the request.
The request reportedly calls for 183 renewable energy systems of various power capacities. More than anything else, however, Zilmer's letter is about changing assumptions.
Dang. Now we're gonna hear the moonbats chirping about blood for solar panels.
