Tonya Thornton - Global Connective Center
David Irwin - U.S. Army Office of Energy Initiatives
![Emily Cillessen](http://assets.swoogo.com/uploads/thumb/3282645-6564e59bbda5a.png)
![Tonya Thornton](http://assets.swoogo.com/uploads/thumb/4719999-6761def72a6af.jpg)
![David Irwin](http://assets.swoogo.com/uploads/thumb/4785811-6786d4c969904.jpg)
The US military operates in austere environments with contested logistics impacting energy demands and desires a sustainable and independent capability to mitigate energy challenges with fossil fuels. New Department of Defense (DoD) energy technologies are needed to improve resilience, optimize demand, and assure energy supply; that is "mission assurance through energy assurance." Specifically, DoD's "vision of sustainability is to maintain the ability to operate into the future without decline – either in the mission or in the natural and manufactured systems that support it." This panel will draw on new and operational microgrid projects at US Air Force and US Army bases and installations to illustrate the military’s goal to increase energy independence and resilience while also reducing energy costs and carbon emissions.