Operational Energy Resource Center

IDGA’s 17th iteration of the Operational Energy Summit will bring together operational and installation energy leaders from the US DoD, DoE, allied military, industry, and academia to discuss the current state of military energy.

This year’s event, which takes place February 25-26 in Bethesda, Maryland, will focus on addressing the emerging threat landscape, contested environments, the role of innovative technology, and the challenges and gaps in defense energy to ensure support of military operations.

In her second year as chairwoman of the event, Sharon Burke, the former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Operational Energy, is looking forward to building off the engaging conversations held last year. Besides chairing the Operational Energy Summit, Burke is also the Founder and President of Ecospherics, a research and advisory firm that specializes in energy security, critical minerals, climate security, and related challenges. She has been a leader at several civic organizations, including the Center for a New American Security, where she started the Natural Security program.

Before joining attendees in Bethesda this February, Burke sat down with IDGA to discuss:

• The current state of the energy security and operational energy space
• The importance of partnerships between the DoD and industry
• What will set apart the 2025 iteration of the Operational Energy Summit
  

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has highlighted the critical interplay between energy and warfare, shaping global security in the 21st century. In Sparking Lines: Energy and Russia’s War on Ukraine, Sharon Burke examines energy’s pivotal role in the conflict, from Ukraine's disconnection from Russia's power grid to the deliberate targeting of energy infrastructure, revealing how energy functions as both a strategic tool and target in modern warfare.

Burke analyzes Russia’s use of energy to further geopolitical ambitions, Europe’s shift away from Russian energy, and Ukraine’s struggle to maintain its grid under attack. Originally published by the International Stability Operations Association (ISOA), the whitepaper also explores broader vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure in an increasingly interconnected world.

The Honorable Sharon Burke will chair IDGA's 17th Operational Energy Summit this February in Bethesda, Maryland, focusing on emerging threats, contested environments, and innovation in defense energy.

The 'Contested Logistics and Demand Reduction' presentation was delivered by Colonel Chris Vitale, Director, Army Operational Energy and Nuclear Power Planning, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment at 2024's Operational Energy Summit. His presentation delves into:

• Operational Energy as defined by the army
• The line between Operational (OE) & Installation Energy (IE),
• Strategic, operational, and tactical energy in previous conflicts
• Overview of demand reduction, and how it can be done effectively
• OE focus areas to mitigate impacts of contested logistics .... and so much more!

Colonel Chris Vitale will be returning as a panellist in February, where he will be joined by Captain "Newt" McKissick as they discuss 'Emerging Technologies Shaping the Future of Military Energy' on Day 2.

For its 18th year, the IDGA Operational Energy Summit will again bring operational and installation energy leaders across US DoD, allied military, industry, and academia. This year’s summit will focus on addressing the emerging threat landscape, contested environments, and the challenges and capability gaps in defense operational and installation energy.

Our Sample Attendee List showcases the high-level attendees and leading organizations within the industry that attended the previous Operational Energy Summit to give you an idea of what to expect for this year.

In 2016, the Defense Science Board (DSB) highlighted energy as a crucial enabler for future military operations. The study projected that battlefield energy demands would increase substantially in the coming decades, with the energy requirements of current and emerging military capabilities and operations likely to exceed advancements in energy efficiency and management. As a result of DSB’s study, the DoD’s Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO) launched Project Pele, a program intended to design, build, and demonstrate a prototype mobile nuclear reactor.

Dr. Jeff Waksman is a Program Manager at SCO where he leads Project Pele as well as Project TRISCO, which focuses on encapsulated nuclear fuel. Before arriving at SCO, he worked for NASA as a Senior Policy Adviser, and at IBM where he was a staff scientist working on advanced semiconductor technology such as reactive ion etching, III-V materials, quantum computing, and heterogeneous integration.

This February Dr. Waksman will join Dr. Annie Kammerer, Chief of the Nuclear Power Branch Office of the Chief of Engineers (OCE) in the Department of the Army Headquarters (HQDA) at IDGA’s Operational Energy Summit to provide an overview of ongoing nuclear energy projects within the DoD.

The Operational Energy Summit is this February 25-25 in Bethesda, Maryland. Over the course of the two-day event attendees will discuss the emerging threat landscape, contested environments, the role of innovative technology, and the challenges and gaps in defense energy to ensure support of military operations.

Before the event, IDGA sat down with Dr. Wakman to discuss the following:

• The latest updates on Project Pele
• Misconceptions surrounding nuclear energy
• What attendees can expect to gain from the Operational Energy Summit
  

The US DoD is one of the largest energy consumers in the country, accounting for 77% of the government’s energy usage. In order to limit the federal government's dependency on fossil fuels, the Biden administration signed Executive Order 14057, “Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability.” in 2021 that orders the federal government to use electricity that is 100% free of carbon pollution by 2035.

To meet these new sustainability standards, the DoD is exploring a variety of clean energy sources. In this report, we will look at the latest sustainability initiatives the DoD is exploring, including:

• Solar power
• Geothermal energy
• Power-beaming technology
• Nuclear energy

To hear from the leaders of these DoD initiatives and the industry partners helping achieve the government’s pollution-free goals, be sure to register for IDGA’s Operational Energy Summit. The 17th iteration of the summit is taking place February 23-25 in Washington, DC, and will bring together thought leaders in sustainable energy to discuss the complexities surrounding operational and installation energy.

The 'Defense Innovation Unit's Energy Portfolio' presentation was delivered by Dr. Andrew Higier, Director of the Energy Portfolio, Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) at 2024's Operational Energy Summit. His presentation highlighted how the DIU strengthens the national security innovation base and provided an in-depth look into its energy portfolio, covering key areas such as demand reduction, refuelling & contested logistics, batteries & extreme conditions, and efficiency & usage.

Dr. Higier will be returning as a speaker in February, where he will be discussing 'Fostering Innovation in Defense Energy' on Day 1. Downloading this presentation offers a preview of the insights and developments he is expected to share this year.

Operational Energy is an essential but complex term for forces. At its most basic, it is about promoting resilient energy supply chains for the benefit of the warfighter. This content piece hopes to clarify this extensive and complex topic with examples and infographics while clarifying the US DoD's implementation of its Operational Energy strategy. If Operational Energy is a realm of interest for you, but you do not know where to start, this piece is for you.

AFWERX's mission is to accelerate agile and affordable capability transitions through teaming innovating technology developers with Airman and Guardian talent. In essence, AFWERX helps accelerate the incorporation of disruptive technologies into the forces, which comes with specific challenges for the US industrial base. In this Energizing eVTOL Flight interview, the Division Chief, Lieutenant Colonel Meagher, details what's next for AFWERX covering.

• AFWERX Mission and importance
• The current status of the eVTOL program
• The future challenges and opportunities
  

Operational Energy is a critical component of any fighting force especially, since the DoD is the organisation that consumes the most energy in the US. C.M. Jacobs explores the implications of this and the technological advancements in the domain. This report covers: 

• Lessons from the Ukraine War
• Advancements in "portable energy"
• The implications of near peer conflict on OE 

The "US Air Force Operational Energy" presentation was delivered at Operational Energy Summit 2023 by Mr. Roberto I. Guerrero, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force Operational Energy and covers a detailed breakdown of US Air Force Operational Energy's goals:

• Fuel More Fight: Improve Energy Intensity of Operations ​
• No Fuel, No Fight: Understand & Manage Risk from Fuel Supply Chain ​
• Accelerate to Win: Improve Planning Speed & Execution Effectiveness​
• Data-Informed Decisions: Enable Understanding of OE Use​
• Engage & Inform Stakeholders: Build OE Informed Culture ​

Join us at Operational Energy Summit 2024 (The Hyatt Regency Reston, Virginia on April 9-10, 202) to hear further insights on all aspects of operational energy.

Operational Energy initiatives from 2023 to 2024 are expected to be valued at around $20.3 billion. The initiatives include several efforts, from platform energy management systems to engine efficiency. This document summarises and comments on the largest initiatives by service. An excellent piece “companion” piece to understand the breadth and depth of Operational energy.

The US Department of Energy Budget Certification Summary covers the main points of FY 2022 Budget, while placing it in the wider context of the National Security Strategy. As the US Department of Energy Budget suggests, the primary focus of the OE Strategy is to maintain a decisive combat advantage through the application of energy strategies. The Summary delves into:

• The context of the Operational Energy Strategy
• What challenges feed into the Operational Energy Strategy
• OE investments highlighted by the Budget Certification
  

The "NATO Operational Energy Concept​ Under Development​" presentation was delivered at the 2023 IDGA Operational Energy Summit by Mr. Wsewolod Rusow, Head of Research and Lessons Learned Division, NATO Energy Security Center of Excellence in Vilnius, Lithuania.

The presentation covered: 

• NATO OPEN Concept – reasons, goals, timelines...
• Current stage and challenges​
• End state or just the beginning​
  

Mr Rusow will join us again at IDGA's 2024 Operational Energy Summit this April, where he will deliver a presentation on Day 1 about "Exploring The Evolving Needs Of Operational Energy".