As every good naysayer knows, green technology is costing tax payers billions in wasted subsidies and government spending. Wait, what?

News reported over at Business Green suggests the US Army has saved $1bn in the last five years by working with utilities on energy savings performance contracts. These contracts allow utilities to undertake energy savings projects on behalf of client as part of a long-term contract to also provide energy.

It's a neat little trick which incentivizes utilities to rethink their role from that of "energy retailer" to "energy service provider," finding the cheapest and most cost effective way to meet a client's energy needs rather than simply increasing supply and promoting demand. And it's part of a 2011 challenge for all federal agencies to achieve $4bn in cost savings through contracts such as these. (Thanks Obama!)

I doubt this will end the ongoing back and forth on green building and the military. Still, it's nice to see progress being made—something that should please environmentalists, fiscal conservatives and defense hawks alike.

Source : treehugger.com