Vance currently in fifth place in AETC energy competition

  • Published
  • By Ensign Rex Miller
  • 71st Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  With five months remaining in the Air Education and Training Command Energy Management Incentive Award program, Vance AFB sits in 5th place out of 11 bases.

"Our energy conservation efforts during this particularly harsh winter have kept us in the game, and we are poised to make a surge into the top three over the next two months," said Dan Calvert, Mechanical and Energy Engineer with CSC Applied Technologies Civil Engineering. "This is a critical time period for us, and will likely determine whether or not we finish in the money." The top three finishers in this year's competition will win monetary awards for their achievements.

As energy has become an important issue for the United States, it has also been identified as an economic and security issue by the Air Force at the highest levels. "Energy solutions... fueling the mission," is the energy awareness theme from the secretary of the Air Force for fiscal year 2010.

The Air Force Energy Plan 2010 focuses on reducing demand, increasing supply and creating cultural change. The vision of the plan is to "make energy a consideration in all we do."

From July to November, energy consumption at Vance was 1.7 percent below the 3-year average baseline measurement for the same time period. Altus AFB, Okla., is currently in first place with a 15.1 percent energy usage reduction.

Water consumption levels have been added to this year's energy assessment as 10 percent of the overall score. Through the first five months of the competition, Vance has reduced water consumption by 13.4 percent. Vance narrowly trails third place Columbus AFB, Miss., with its 13.8 percent reduction in this category. Sheppard AFB, Texas, leads with a 23.5 percent reduction.

According to Mr. Calvert, Energy Management Control System operators Byron
Gainer, Jay Black and John Gephart from CSC Civil Engineering have contributed substantially to Vance's efforts. "EMCS is central to our energy program and we would not be able to compete for this award without the excellent EMCS operators that we have," said Mr. Calvert.

Vance finished first in last year's competition, winning $1.5 million. The award dollars have already been used to make a number of improvements around the base. They were used to repair electrical distribution on Conway Street, repair the base tennis courts, install a new diving board at the base pool, and to purchase a Nintendo Wii and TV monitor at the collocated club. The funds will also be used to construct a new base airpark.