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Over the last year, the Army has made a concerted effort to be more energy efficient, and officials say they have a lot to show for it. Since last December, the Army has made more than $200 million worth in energy-saving upgrades, and is helping lead the charge in a nationwide initiative to go green, reports the Army News Service.

The push to save energy came last year, when President Barack Obama challenged all federal agencies to make $2 billion in upgrades with no cost to American taxpayers. The Army has been working with private contractors by awarding Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs), which can improve efficiency on everything from heating and ventilation to water conservation and lighting.

"The energy initiatives are good for the Army – which avoids up-front costs – good for the energy companies or utilities and good for the workers who do the design, construction, operations and maintenance of the systems," Randy Smidt, Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management program manager, told the news source.

The Army is not the only branch of the military that has made a push to conserve. The Navy has been very public with its push for a "green fleet," and earlier this year the USNS Henry J. Kaiser became the first carrier strike group to be powered by biofuels.