Armed Forces must prepare themselves for new challenges. In many countries budgets are smaller than before forcing Armed Forces to restructure and try to maintain operational readiness with fewer weapon systems than before. At the same time costs of energy are rising hitting tight budgets even harder. In the long run Armed Forces must change from traditional fossil fuels to alternatives. Time is pressing as weaponsystems have an operational live up to 50 years. Energy guzzeling weaponsystems might become obsolete half their operational live when the impact of energy on future Life Cycle Costs is insufficiently appreciated. Defence organisations are looking for answeres how to prepare themselves for the post-fossil fuel era.

Companies that provide the military with weapon systems and equipment must ask themselves if they are prepared for these new challenges. Do they understand the complexity of keeping the military "fit for combat" with declining stocks of oil? Are their R&D departments geared-up in order to be a step ahead of international competition.

"Energie voor inzet" can best be translated as "Energy for action". It is a consultancy that supports the Ministry of Defence, laboratories and the defence industry to focus on the energy challenge. Consultants are Marcel HENDRIKS and Jos GUNSING. Marcel HENDRIKS is a retired Captain (E) Royal Netherlands Navy. While working in the Ministry of Defence in The Hague he started the Think-tank on energy. Experts with an academic background and military who have seen active duty abroad. Jos GUNSING is an associated professor lecturing at Avans Hogeschool in Breda in the Netherlands and has a background in innovation, mechatronis and robottics.

"Energie voor inzet" has an international scope and has contributed to a number of international conferences and magazines. The consultants are well prepared to advise national and international clients.