A display of camelina and algae fuels and processes for making renewable fuels. John F. Williams/United States NavyAlternative Fuels Don’t Benefit The Military, A RAND Report Says -- New York Times
The United States would derive no meaningful military benefit from increased use of alternative fuels to power its jets, ships and other weapons systems, according to a government-commissioned study by the RAND Corporation scheduled for release Tuesday.
The report also argued that most alternative-fuel technologies were unproven, too expensive or too far from commercial scale to meet the military’s needs over the next decade.
In particular, the report argued that the Defense Department was spending too much time and money exploring experimental biofuels derived from sources like algae or the flowering plant camelina, and that more focus should be placed on energy efficiency as a way of combating greenhouse gas emissions.
Read more ....
Update #1: Biofuels of No Benefit to Military -- RAND -- New York Times
Update #2: Study says greener military isn't better military, DoD disagrees -- CNN
Update #3: No Direct Military Benefit From Use of Alternative Fuels by Armed Forces, RAND Study Finds -- AScribe.org
Comment #4: Biofuels Can’t Cut Military Muster, Study Says -- Forbes
Comment #5: Biofuels and the Military: Reality Strikes Back -- OpenMarket.org
My Comment: The military is circling the wagons on this one. Considering how much has already been spent ..... and how much is in the pipeline to be spent .... this should not be a surprised.
The full Rand report can be read here.