DLA Energy Factbooks

The Defense Energy Support Center (now called DLA Energy) of the US Department of Defense has finally released its Fact Book for Fiscal Year 2010.

As is the case in any DOD publication DLA Energy FactBook does not give a comprehensive picture. But it is still a useful source of information.

The most useful part of the Factbook is the page showing DLA energy statement of sales. Not all types of energy though but at least it shows an important aggregate – petroleum, natural gas and aerospace energy- by DOD services.

The chart I made below shows the evolution of this aggregate by DOD services over time. It shows that petroleum sales to the DOD increased from around $4 billion in the late 1990s to almost $8 bn in 2005. Sales doubled to $16 bn in 2008 before retreating to $14 bn in 2010.

Note that in 2010 petroleum, natural gas and aerospace energy sales to the DOD was $14.5 billion. Of this amount some $240 million was natural gas and $22 million was aerospace energy. So, petroleum sales were over $14 bn.

More than half of the petroleum, natural gas and aerospace energy sales were to the Air Force (53%), which is followed by Navy (26%) and Army (21%). Marines and other DOD services make up the rest.

When electricity and other energy carriers are included, my estimate is that total energy use by the DOD in 2010 should be above $16.5 billion. We will see when the DOD’s FEMR comes out next month (I guess).

Now back to the Factbook. I do not understand why it becomes less and less informative. One of the best issues was for FY2008. Since then it is getting less and less informative.

More specifically, the following key subjects do not appear any more in the Factbook.

• Top Ten Petroleum Suppliers (U.S. Dollars in Millions)

• Top Ten Installation Energy Suppliers (U.S. Dollars in Millions)

• Summary of Renewable Power Purchases MWh, $ value

• Year in Review Defense Energy Support Center - Highlights/Accomplishments

The last item above was the most important part of the Factbook.

If this trend continues in the next years, I recommend DLA Energy to change the name of its report from “FactBook” to something else.