NATIONAL HARBOR, Maryland –
The 2017 Defense Logistics Agency Energy Worldwide Energy Conference and Tradeshow opened at the Gaylord National Hotel and Conference Center in National Harbor, Maryland, April 10 with record attendance.
DLA Energy Commander Air Force Brig. Gen. Martin Chapin presided at the conference opening ceremony to a crowd of more than two thousand industry professionals gathered to refine future energy needs.
"It has been seven years since we held our last Worldwide Energy Conference at National Harbor," Chapin said. “This is an opportunity for the energy community to come together, the entire supply chain from petroleum refineries to the combatant commands.”
The 2017 WWEC theme is “Refining Global Energy Strategies” and focuses on leveraging commercial capability to gain supply chain efficiencies and enhancing supply diversity. This focus will help the Department of Defense continue to get more for the taxpayer dollar.
During the three-day conference, a broad array of the energy community will collaborate in more than 100 different sessions on energy challenges facing the DoD and federal agencies. Participants include representatives from petroleum refiners and brokers; providers of fuel and energy services and infrastructure providers; suppliers of natural gas, electricity, and missile propellants; providers of renewable energy; and companies providing utility services to military bases that will collaborate in more than 100 different sessions focusing on issues and challenges facing the DoD and federal agencies.
Chapin recognized the support and commitment of the DoD and the industry worldwide energy supply chain and expressed his appreciation for their attendance.
“We are 100 percent reliant on commercial capabilities,” Chapin said. “The commercial energy sector is very dynamic and important.”
Chapin said DLA Energy’s future will be based on the Global Petroleum Distribution Plan, an initiative under the DLA Energy future roadmap. The GPDP will help the joint petroleum community prioritize resources to modify the petroleum distribution supply chain.
“In today’s global energy market, it is even more imperative that we gather energy industry professionals from around the world to discuss how the federal government, specifically DoD, develops strategies to meet the future energy needs,” he said.
The future also holds increased expeditionary capabilities, Chapin said. “With additized fuel at specific locations, we will create better capabilities when service components do not deploy bulk-injection methods.”
“Audit readiness is a top priority for assuring DLA Energy complies with all DoD policies while in alignment with our DLA Energy strategic goals,” Chapin said. “This is really important to our nation … and it’s our first year of an independent audit.”
DLA Director Air Force Lt. Gen. Andy Busch joined Chapin for the trade show ribbon-cutting ceremony and opening remarks.
“DLA and DLA Energy look forward to exchanging new innovative ideas as we work together to meet energy goals for the nation, DoD and most importantly, for the warfighter and our customers,” Busch said.
Busch also highlighted the importance of the DLA Energy supply chain management in 2016.
"I am confident these next two days will be both educational and thought provoking, as we embark on an exchange of exciting energy information," Chapin said.