Tucson News NowDM energizes President Obama's promises

Davis Monthan has become home to many energy innovations and technologies, things many of us will see in our homes in the near future.

It's part of the President's promise made at the last State of the Union address.

"I'm prepared to announce the department of defense, working with us, the largest consumer of energy, will make one of the largest commitments to clean energy in history," he told the nation.

The president's principle environmental advisor, Nancy Sutley, came to DM to see some of those innovations firsthand.

She was introduced to a solar chiller, which could cut air conditioning energy consumption by 90%.

There are buildings in the Air Force boneyard which are painted with a ceramic coating developed from the tiles of the space shuttle which could cut home energy consumption 22%.

And there's a modern day, energy utilizing update of the old swamp cooler which is so prevalent in Tucson.

"We have a history of transferring that technology from military applications to private use," Sutely says.

She was accompanied by Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, who sees economic opportunity in the innovations being developed in his backyard.

"It creates jobs," he says. "If you have a demand in a community, then the manufacturers will reflect that demand."

Sutley will take what she saw here today back to the White House.

"I think he will be excited to hear about it," she says of the President.

The White House goal is for the Air Force to save a half billion dollars in energy costs over the next five years.

DM is expected to provide 35% of its energy needs from solar.

"This is a great example of taking the resource that Arizona has so much of and really finding many applications for it," she says.

The ceramic coating cost about twice as much as the average house paint, "but the payback is two or three years," says Major Andy Middione.

And the paint he says "lasts at least ten years."

The Air Force hopes to save $500 million in fuel costs over the next five years in clean energy efficiencies.

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