November 3, 2008—The US Department of Energy (DOE) has announced the initial results of Energy Star Operation Change Out—The Military Challenge, which focuses on replacing standard incandescent lights at military housing units with energy-efficient compact fluorescent lights (CFLs).
The campaign, a joint effort between DOE and the US Department of Defense (DOD), has led 84 military bases to install 359,268 CFLs in 40,951 military housing units since Earth Day (April 22).
Over the operating lifetime of the new CFLs, they are expected to reduce electricity use by nearly 100 million kilowatt-hours, saving nearly $11 million and preventing the emissions of more than 150 million pounds of carbon dioxide.
DOE spotlighted the performance of three military bases: Fort Drum Army base in upstate New York has changed out 106,012 bulbs, which will cut the base’s energy bills by an estimated $2.78 million; Tobyhanna Army Depot, near Scranton, PA, has changed out 23,158 bulbs for a savings of over $600,000; and Camp Lejeune Marine Corps base, near Jacksonville, NC, has changed out 19,020 bulbs in nearly 5,000 housing units to cut energy costs by nearly $500,000.
The campaign was originally scheduled to end on October 1, but the success of the program has led DOE and DOD to extend the program through Earth Day 2009.
