Navy, USDA Push Biofuels

STREATOR, Ill. (DTN) -- Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus said Wednesday, Dec. 11, in a news release that the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Navy's joint "Farm to Fleet," venture would make biofuel blends a regular part of operational fuels for the military.

The announcement incorporates the acquisition of biofuel blends into regular Department of Defense domestic solicitations for jet engine and marine diesel fuels, the agencies said.

The Navy will purchase Jp-5 and F-76 advanced drop-in biofuels blended from 10% to 50% with conventional fuels. Funds from USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation will assist the effort.

The program's bulk fuels solicitations begin in 2014, with deliveries expected in mid-2015.

Wednesday's announcement marks the first time alternative fuels such as advanced drop-in biofuels would be available for purchase through regular procurement practices, the agencies said.

"It lowers the barriers for alternative domestic fuel suppliers to do business with DOD," the release said.

Preliminary indications from the Defense Production Act Title III Advanced Drop-in Biofuels Production Project are that drop-in biofuels "will be available for less than $4 gallon by 2016, making them competitive with traditional sources of fuel," the release added.

Drop-in biofuels refers to fuels that require no engine modifications to operate utilizing the biofuels blends.

Farm-to-fleet builds on the USDA/U.S. Navy partnership inaugurated in 2010, when President Barack Obama challenged his secretaries of Agriculture, Energy and the Navy to investigate how they could work together to seep the development of domestic, competitively-priced "drop-in" diesel and jet fuel substitutes.

"A secure, domestically-produced energy source is very important to our national security," said Mabus. "Energy is how our naval forces are able to provide presence around the world. Energy is what gets them there and keeps them there."

Mabus added the Farm-to-Fleet program is important to advance the commercial market for advanced biofuel, "which will give us an alternative fuel source and help lessen our dependence on foreign oil."

"The Navy's intensifying efforts to use advanced, homegrown fuels to power our military benefits both America's national security and our rural communities, Vilsack said.

Vilsack said production of the fuels would create jobs in rural America, but will be "cost effective for our military, which is the biggest consumer of petroleum in the nation."

He said America's Navy should not have to depend on oil supplies from foreign nations to ensure national defense.

"Rural America stands ready to provide clean, homegrown energy that increases our military's energy independence and puts America to work," said Vilsack.

(BM/AG)

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