Assistant Secretary of the Navy Jackalyne Pfannenstiel to Receive Alliance’s Prestigious Energy Efficiency Award
Assistant Secretary of the Navy Jackalyne Pfannenstiel is the winner of the impressive Chairman’s Award, which is selected by the Alliance’s Honorary Chair Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.). The award will be presented at the 19th Annual Stars of Energy Efficiency Dinner on Oct. 4, 2011.
In her role as Assistant Secretary for Energy, Installations and Environment, Pfannenstiel manages over 75,000 buildings and related facilities supporting Navy and Marine operations around the world. Her sharp focus on energy efficiency has far-reaching impacts within and beyond the military.
“I’m honored to be recognized with this exceptional award,” Pfannenstiel said. “The Department of the Navy is committed to remaining a front-runner in energy efficiency initiatives, as innovation in the way we use energy is absolutely critical to successfully supporting the missions of the Navy and Marine Corps around the globe.”
The Great Green Fleet
Like the Great White Fleet of 1907, the U.S. Navy is again leading the way as a military power, this time by aggressively tackling one of the world’s most pressing issues: energy. The Navy’s “Great Green Fleet” places a heavy emphasis on energy efficiency as a first step toward energy independence, and Pfannenstiel is a notable leader in the charge.
Pfannenstiel and the Navy are demonstrating the remarkable potential of energy efficiency in replicable, achievable ways. For example, the Navy pledged to:
- reduce petroleum use in its commercial vehicle fleet by 50% by 2015,
- produce 50% of shore-based energy from alternatives sources by 2020 and
- achieve net-zero energy use in 50% of Navy installations by 2020.
Pfannenstiel hopes military research and development will drive energy efficiency technology, in the same way that it drove such common public technologies as the Internet and GPS.
A Lifetime Supporting Energy Efficiency
Pfannenstiel has demonstrated her lifelong commitment to energy efficiency through her role as a chairman of the California Energy Commission (CEC), as well as her 20-year career encouraging energy efficiency at PG&E. Under her leadership, CEC adopted the 2008 Building Energy Efficiency Standards, which aggressively increased the efficiency of non-residential buildings in California.
“Jackalyne Pfannenstiel has been a champion for energy efficiency and the use of alternative energy,” said Shaheen. “She has been a leader in recognizing that energy independence is crucial to our national security.”
Pfannenstiel also provided guidance to the Alliance during her service on the board of directors – prior to her presidential appointment as assistant secretary of the Navy – where she offered her extensive understanding of energy efficiency issues.
As a taxpayer, I believe in funding the Navy and other branches for my safety. However, I expect them to be good stewards of my money and thus excel at energy efficiencies as well as make our bases and facilities grid independent, in the event that have a terrorist attack to our power grids. As the Navy does facility upgrades and enhancements, I would also expect them to adopt standards so that they can choose from best in class and most effective as new products and services come to market and yet still be able to manage those assets effectively.
