Department of Defense Energy Security Act of 2015

Research authorized— The Secretary of Defense, acting through the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and in collaboration with the Secretary of the Army and the Secretary of the Navy, may carry out research to improve military vehicle technology to increase fuel economy or reduce fuel consumption of military vehicles used in combat.

Previous successes— The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that research carried out under subsection (a) takes into account the successes of, and lessons learned during, the development of the Fuel Efficient Ground Vehicle Alpha and Bravo programs to identify, assess, develop, demonstrate, and prototype technologies that support increasing fuel economy and decreasing fuel consumption of light tactical vehicles, while balancing survivability.

Repository required— Not later than December 31, 2016, the Secretary of Defense, acting through the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and in collaboration with the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Operational Energy Plans and Programs and the Secretaries of the military departments, shall establish a centralized repository for all operational energy-related research and development efforts of the Department of Defense, including with respect to the inception, operational, and complete phases of such efforts.

Internet access— The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that the repository required by subsection (a) is accessible through an Internet website of the Department of Defense and by all employees of the Department and members of the Armed Forces whom the Secretary determines appropriate, including all program managers involved in such research and development efforts, to enable improved collaboration between military departments on research and development efforts described in subsection (a), enable sharing of best practices and lessons learned relating to such efforts, and reduce redundancy in such efforts.

In general— The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a program to develop and support projects designed to foster secure and reliable sources of energy for military installations, including incorporation of advanced energy metering, renewable energy, energy storage, and redundant power systems.

Metrics— The Secretary of Defense shall develop metrics for assessing the costs and benefits associated with secure energy projects proposed or implemented as part of the program conducted under subsection (a). The metrics shall take into account financial and operational costs associated with sustained losses of power resulting from natural disasters or attacks that damage electrical grids serving military installations.

Establishment of Fund— There is established in the Treasury a fund to be known as the “Department of Defense Alternative Fuel Vehicle Infrastructure Fund”.

Deposits— The Fund shall consist of the following:

Investments— The Secretary shall invest any part of the Fund that the Secretary decides is not required to meet current expenses. Each investment shall be made in an interest-bearing obligation of the United States Government, or an obligation that has its principal and interest guaranteed by the Government, that the Secretary decides has a maturity suitable for the Fund.

Use of funds— Amounts in the Fund shall be available to the Secretary, acting through the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Training, and Logistics, to install, operate, and maintain alternative fuel dispensing stations for use by alternative fueled vehicles of the Department of Defense and other infrastructure necessary to fuel alternative fueled vehicles of the Department.

Definitions— In this section:

Report required— Not later than September 30, 2016, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report with a plan for integrating energy storage, micro-grid technologies, and on-site power generation systems at military installations at risk of interruptions of power due to geographic location, dependence on connections to the electric grid, or other factors determined by the Secretary.

Form— The report required under subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may contain a classified annex as necessary.