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PEO Ships Participates in ASNE Energy Futures Symposium

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS100304-20
Release Date: 3/4/2010 3:42:00 PM

From Naval Sea Systems Command Office of Corporate Communications

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Representatives from the Navy's Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships and Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) participated in the American Society of Naval Engineer's (ASNE) Energy Futures Symposium held in Arlington, Va., Feb. 24 to highlight the Navy's commitment to energy efficiency and the reduction of fossil fuel use aboard ships.

The symposium highlighted several green initiatives being researched or already in use operationally.

These programs will help the Navy reach their goal of at least 50 percent alternative fuels usage by 2020. This initiative is important to the Navy, considering energy costs have increased 292 percent since 1991; five times the consumer price index.

Capt. Lynn Petersen, deputy program manager for PEO Ships' Electric Ships Office, moderated a discussion on developing Next Generation Integrated Power System (NGIPS) technology aboard U.S. Navy ships.

The primary goal of NGIPS is to provide smaller, simpler, more affordable and more capable power systems for Navy platforms by defining common open architectures and developing common components.

"The Electric Ships Office is actively focused on reducing the use of fossil fuels while meeting greater demands for mission power. The technologies we are developing will ultimately help us control Navy procurement, life cycle and total ownership costs while minimizing our carbon footprint," said Petersen. "If we do not invest now, the technology will not be available when we need it."

PEO Ships continues to invest in electric ship initiatives. The DDG 1000, T-AKE, and LHD 8 shipbuilding programs all incorporate modern electric technologies. The Navy is also currently looking into the possibility of implementing these technologies in legacy DDG 51-class ships.

Abe Boughner, USS Makin Island (LHD 8) design integration manager, presented information on the program during the panel. Makin Island is the first U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship to replace steam boilers with gas turbines, and the first Navy surface ship to be equipped with both gas turbines and an Auxiliary Propulsion System. During Makin Island's maiden voyage in September 2009, the ship saved approximately $2 million in fuel costs compared to a ship using steam boilers by using this unique propulsion system in conjunction with operational awareness of the crew.

Other speakers on the Electric Ship Technologies panel included Capt. David Kiel, program manager, Directed Energy and Electric Weapons Program Office; John Heinzel, program manager, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division-Energy Storage for Single Engine Cruise; and Thomas W. Martin, Task Force Energy- Task Force Energy Technology Overview. These speakers further highlighted the advantages of electric ship and weapon systems developed and utilized by the Navy.