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    Biofuel a Navy Priority

    Going Green Both an Ecological, Security Issue

    By Charles Simmins | Yahoo! Contributor Network – Tue, Aug 23, 2011
    This story comes from the Yahoo! Contributor Network, where individuals publish their unique perspectives on some of the world’s most popular websites.
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    Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus briefed reporters Monday on the Navy's progress toward its stated goal of meeting at least 50 percent of its energy need with renewable fuel sources by 2020. Mabus detailed, in particular, the principles governing the Navy and Marine Corps' use of biofuel. In order to achieve the goal of 50 percent renewable energy by 2020, Mabus told the group that the Navy and Marines will need about 8 million barrels of biofuel.

    The secretary outlined four important points:

    * Biofuel must be drop-in ready. The fuel must not require adjustments to existing engines or the purchase of new engines. It should behave just as existing fuel does.

    * In an answer to the ethics of using biofuel affecting world food prices, Mabus laid out the second principle. The biofuel must not reduce the amount of land available for crop production or originate as a food product. The Navy is working with biofuels made from algae, agricultural wastes such as sawdust and camelina, and a variety of mustard seed.

    * All Navy biofuels must be domestically produced. Mabus spoke about the strategic goals of ensuring a secure supply of fuel for the U.S. military and reducing the reliance on foreign suppliers.

    * Biofuel should reduce the Navy's carbon footprint.

    The Navy and Marine Corps have tested a number of their aircraft types with biofuel mixes. The latest was the MV-22 Osprey, the Marine Corps' vertical take off-capable aircraft. An MH-60S Seahawk has been successfully tested using a 50/50 mix of algae-produced biofuel and Jet A, the normal fuel for this helicopter.

    The secretary was asked specifically about the tests involving the F/A-18 Super Hornet, the Navy's premier fighter/bomber. Using a 50/50 mix of biofuel from the camelina plant and its normal jet fuel, the aircraft was able to achieve a speed of Mach 1.7 and reach its altitude ceiling. The sole glitch is that the biofuel currently does not have all the lubrication abilities the standard fuel has. Mabus is confident that research will solve that issue.

    Mabus was asked about the innovative electric drive in use on the USS Makin Island. He talked about $2 million in fuel costs saved by this ship in its maiden voyage. The ship is able to use the drive at lower speeds and uses a standard power plant for higher speed sailing. The current thinking, according to the secretary, is to equip the next build of destroyers in the DDG 51 series with this drive and look to refit existing ships. The Navy intends to demonstrate a carrier battle group, the Great Green Fleet, with biofuel capability in 2012 and put it into service in 2016.

     

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