MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- First in a series

With Earth Day 2004 less than a month away, Camp Pendleton is nearing the end of a six-year campaign to ride the leading edge of energy conservation in the Marine Corps. It's a drive that includes everything from harnessing sunlight that powers a roadside phone call to de-emphasizing gasoline, whose recently rising price has been the bane of consumers nationwide. Now in its sixth phase, Utility Energy Service Contracting — an $11.7 million project — is bringing energy-saving technology to the base. The mission — marked by the installation skylights in warehouses, tens of thousands of light bulb swaps and alternative fuels in fleet vehicles — is rapidly shrinking Pendleton's energy bill while putting the base well ahead of a federally mandated energy conservation schedule, says Jeff Allen, the base's energy manager. "Camp Pendleton wants to be the leader in the battle to conserve energy for the state of California and large military bases," Allen said. Allen expects the campaign in 2004 will save an indefinite amount of money over last year's energy bill of $25.3 million. Money being saved will go back into the campaign to bring further savings, he added. A major thrust of the effort recently involved corralling solar power to light the way for Camp Pendleton motorists, Allen said. "There will be over 200 solar-powered streetlights and traffic lights base wide by the end of May," he said. There's also a bank of solar-powered call boxes for motorists stranded along Basilone Road north of Camp Las Pulgas. The solar-powered streetlights, traffic lights and phones store energy during the day for use at night, Allen said. Also by May, 20 Camp Pendleton warehouses will be equipped with skylighting that is reducing the need for powered lighting. Moreover, since the campaign began, the base has installed about 25,000 fluorescent light bulbs. The base wants to get rid of all incandescent, or energy inefficient, light bulbs in workplaces and housing, Allen said. But that's not all.

"(The contract) is placing new, energy-efficient equipment, such as new boilers, heaters and air conditioners, to replace the old equipment," Allen said. "The new equipment will conserve energy and in the long run save more money." Pendleton's energy crusade not only will improve the bottom line, it will keep the base in good standing with policymakers in Washington D.C. According to a federal mandate issued in 2000, military bases have been ordered to reduce energy consumption by 30 percent by 2005 and 35 percent by 2010. "Camp Pendleton is ahead of schedule," Allen proclaimed, pegging Pendleton's energy reduction at 30.2 percent. Pendleton's advance toward new energy conservation horizons includes its vehicle fleet. The base is using 18 "global electric motor vehicles," similar to golf carts, and plans to acquire 40 to 60 more electric vehicles over the next three years, said Gary W. Funk, regional manager for Southwest Region Fleet Transportation, which controls motor vehicles for West Coast Marines bases.

Two solar-powered carports, each able to charge four electric vehicles at a time, also are planned.

The carports — one at 22 Area and one on Mainside at Building 1160 — should be installed by the end of May, Funk said. The base also has 383 vehicles that consume compressed natural gas, which Funk says is more "earth friendly" than regular unleaded gasoline. Exactly 220 of those vehicles run both CNG and gasoline; 163 others exclusively run CNG, Funk said. Again, when it comes to federal mandates, Pendleton is ahead of the curve, Funk says. Executive Order 13149 requires 75 percent of federal vehicles to be powered by alternative fuels by fiscal year 2005 — yet 82 percent of Pendleton's 2,000 vehicles have made the switch, Funk said.

Phase seven of the energy-saving campaign is scheduled to start by the end the summer, Allen said.

It will bring more energy-efficient skylights, boilers, heaters, air conditioners, solar power streetlights, traffic lights and other equipment to the base.

He urged everyone to turn off lights, radios, computers and other equipment not in use.

For tips on how to save energy, call the Utilities Division at 725-0565.