U.S. Navy Continues Biofuels Investment

December 7, 2011 by
Filed under: Business Line, Companies, Contract Awards, Department of Defense, development program, Events, logistics, Military Aviation, S&T, Services, U.S. Navy 

The U.S. military has been working for several years on testing biofuels for its use. This includes demonstrating aircraft and ships can efficiently use different types of the fuel as well as using its R&D money to help companies develop capabilities to produce the product. Long term this makes sense as at some point petroleum based fuel may be in shorter supply or at much higher cost.

The U.S. Navy has already flown an F/A-18 using such fuel. It has also invested its own money into algae and grass based production. Now they placed a major order for biofuel to power both its jet aircraft and ships.

The contracts with Solazyme and Dynamic Fuels, LLC will be for 100,000 gallons of jet fuel and 350,000 gallons of marine fuel. This is the largest order to date by the government for this type of product.

Dynamic Fuels will make the marine fuel from non-food waste blend similar to using cooking oil to power your car. Solazyme will provide algae based jet fuel.

While right now the costs for this fuel is more expensive then the normal Diesel Fuel Marine of JP used it is a long term investment and is certainly proper for the U.S. military to be doing this. Anything that will supplant a potentially dwindling supply of petroleum is a good thing.

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