Green Peace: Can Biofuels Accelerate Energy Security
Abstract
Unpredictable global security threats and volatile oil markets make it impossible for the United States to forecast its energy costs. The 2007 National Defense Authorization Act set an aggressive goal for the military to produce or procure 25 percent of all its energy demands from renewable sources by 2025 and the Obama Administration has identified energy as being at the center of its own vision for Americas economic future. In partnership, the Department of Energy, Department of Agriculture, and the US Navy have made significant investments in developing and testing biofuels with the stated intent to create an industry that is capable of producing enough biofuel at a competitive price to decrease the nations dependency on foreign oil and reduce the services vulnerability to price shocks. Can military investment jumpstart a biofuels industry and provide an alternative to imported foreign oil that is compatible, readily available and affordable? This paper explores the military application and feasibility of biofuels and offers reasons why biofuels will not be cost competitive or available in necessary quantities and will put our service members at greater risk rather than improve energy security.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 14, 2013
- Accession Number
- AD1018855
Entities
People
- John E. Gay
Organizations
- Air War College