SECNAV Executive Energy Series

To achieve greater security, efficiency, and environmental stewardship, the Navy must adopt new technologies, new graduate education, and new corporate practices. These elements require “new thinking” that will take time. To accelerate the adoption of DoN energy goals much sooner and more effectively than traditional change efforts would enable, the Secretary of the Navy needs to raise the level of energy literacy and arm key influencers to catalyze new policies, programs and practices across the DoN.

Challenge

Security, efficiency and environmental stewardship form the cornerstones of Navy’s energy strategy. In October of 2009, the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) challenged Navy with five stretch goals:

• Energy Efficient Acquisition: Mandate energy evaluations when awarding contracts for systems and buildings.
• Sail the “Great Green Fleet”: Demonstrate a Green Strike Group in local operations by 2012 and sail
  it by 2016.
• Reduce Non-Tactical Petroleum Use: By 2015, reduce DON petroleum use in the commercial fleet by 50%.
• Increase Alternative Energy Ashore: By 2020, source more than 50% of shore-based energy requirements from alternatives; 50% of DON installations will be net-zero.
• Increase Alternative Energy Use DON-Wide: By 2020, 50% of total DON energy consumption will come from alternative sources.

The Department of the Navy (DON) will need to innovate new technologies, educate its workforce, and change its corporate practices in order to accelerate compelling, relevant, & sustainable solutions. The SECNAV Energy Series will develop executives in strategic and innovative corporate practices that will enable Navy’s energy strategy of greater security, efficiency and environmental stewardship.  For systemic culture change, consider the potential impact of affecting the following four aspects of the DON:

• Performance: Champion high-impact practices that solve or create new options for warfighting and business challenges in an era of constrained resources. Lead effective transformation initiatives.
• Sustainment: Recruit and develop a community of change agents who will continue to learn, collaborate & accelerate compelling policies, programs & practices for our energy strategy.
• Talent: Advocate for comprehensive energy talent management that addresses recruitment, assignments, development, education, assessments, rewards, and incentives.
• Action: Catalyze positive action. Encourage and resource experiments and change that lead to growth, effectiveness, and a higher positive impact. Reward attempts to innovate.

The Naval Postgraduate School is designing and developing an energy executive education program with initial courses offered in FY13 to accelerate adoption of the SECNAV’s energy goals.