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The military’s green efforts

A dome shelter at Ft. Irwin draws power from solar panels and a wind turbine. The Army is experimenting with alternative ways to power the Mojave Desert training area, which replicates austere combat conditions.

A dome shelter at Ft. Irwin draws power from solar panels and a wind turbine. The Army is experimenting with alternative ways to power the Mojave Desert training area, which replicates austere combat conditions.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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In the high Mojave Desert, a futuristic-looking dome rises from a sandy wasteland. Inside, soldiers work at computers in plywood cubicles powered by solar panels and a towering wind turbine. Plug-in cars shuttle the troops across the vast expanses here at Ft. Irwin.

Electric cart

An electric cart is used to move a helicopter around at Ft. Irwin.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

Electric vehicle

A soldier at Ft. Irwin walks past an electric vehicle. Reducing use of fossil fuels in combat zones can save lives, officials said: The convoys that bring fuel to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are among the most frequent targets of bombs and ambushes.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

Insulation

A soldier works out in a building that has been sprayed with foam to insulate it and cut down on cooling costs. Estimates are that an investment to replace all the rented tents at Ft. Irwin with insulated, semi-permanent ones would pay for itself within nine months.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

Shell casings

Soldiers collect brass shell casings to recycle. A $500-million shortfall in the Army’s energy budget last year was “a grand wake-up call,” an Army official said.  (Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times)

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