Leadership from USDA and the Department of the Navy has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to encourage the development of advanced biofuels and other renewable energy systems. From a strategic perspective the objective is to reduce reliance on fossil fuels from volatile areas of the world.
Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus, says that tactically, on the battlefield, the costs of transporting fuel is exponentially increased; in extreme cases a gallon of gasoline could cost up to $400. Mabus says even more serious and sobering is putting our Sailors and Marines in harm's way as fuel convoys often meet a lethal enemy.
To address this reality Mabus recently announced energy targets for the Navy and Marine Corps. Those goals include to demonstrate a Green Strike Group powered by biofuel by 2012; cut petroleum use in its 50,000 non-tactical commercial fleet in half by 2015; produce at least half of shore based installations' energy requirements from alternative sources and 50%t of all shore installations will be net zero energy consumers by 2020; and by 2020 half of the Navy's total energy consumption for ships, aircraft, tanks, vehicles and shore installations will come from alternative sources.
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