Coast Guard Implementing Net Zero Housing
The U.S. Coast Guard has set a goal of a net zero carbon footprint for housing at their Southwest Harbor Base in Maine. The base is using solar panels, solar hot water heaters and now a wind turbine for their energy needs. Efficiency-boosting retrofits will also be done, including new electrical systems and better insulation.
The newly-installed wind turbine sits atop a 70-foot tower and provides power to a duplex housing unit located on the base. The upgrades and retrofits will begin in October.
The Coast Guard is looking to install wind power at other bases in Maine and around the country. This push toward renewable energy is part of a bigger program by the Department of Defense to get 25 percent of their energy from renewable sources by 2025.
As Capt. James McPherson of the Coast Guard said, "We want to be good stewards of the environment and we want to be careful how we spend tax payer dollars, but we also think the debate is over whether we need to go to alternative energy.” Yes, it is.
via Inhabitat