USDA, Department of Energy and Navy Partner to Advance Biofuels
to Fuel Military and Commercial Transportation
President Obama on Tuesday announced that the U.S. Departments
of Agriculture, Energy and Navy will invest up to $510 million
during the next three years in partnership with the private sector
to produce advanced drop-in aviation and marine biofuels to power
military and commercial transportation. The initiative
responds to a directive from President Obama issued in March as
part of his Blueprint for A Secure Energy Future, the
Administration’s framework for reducing dependence on foreign
oil. The biofuels initiative is being steered by the White House
Biofuels Interagency Work Group and Rural Council, both of which
are enabling greater cross-agency collaboration to strengthen rural
America.
“Biofuels are an important part
of reducing America’s dependence on foreign oil and creating
jobs here at home,” said President Obama. “But
supporting biofuels cannot be the role of government alone.
That’s why we’re partnering with the private sector to
speed development of next-generation biofuels that will help us
continue to take steps towards energy independence and strengthen
communities across our country.”
Increased use of advanced biofuels is a key component of the
Administration’s energy security agenda, but there is
currently a lack of this manufacturing capability for
next-generation drop-in biofuels in the United States. To
accelerate the production of bio-based jet and diesel fuel for
military and commercial purposes, Secretary of Agriculture Tom
Vilsack, Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, and Secretary of the Navy
Ray Mabus have developed a plan to jointly construct or retrofit
several drop-in biofuel plants and refineries. This effort will
help address energy security and national security challenges, and
will provide economic opportunities in rural America.
“America’s long-term
national security depends upon a commercially viable domestic
biofuels market that will benefit taxpayers while simultaneously
giving Sailors and Marines tactical and strategic
advantages,” said Navy Secretary Ray Mabus (pictured).
“Today’s announcement not only leverages our home grown
fuel sources to support our national security, but it also helps
advance the biofuels market, which ultimately brings down the cost
of biofuels for everyone.”
Michael McAdams, president of the Advanced Biofuels Association
(ABFA), said the Obama Administration should be commended for
demonstrating great foresight as it continues to make smarter
investments in drop-in advanced biofuels, investments that will
ultimately strengthen America's economic and national
security. "Advanced biofuels will deliver ready to use
replacement fuels for jetfighters, battleships, as well as
commercial airliners and cars on the road today," he said. "The
Administration's investment in commercializing advanced biofuels is
a matter of national security. As we see new biorefineries going
online it is essential that Washington continue to recognize not
only the need, but also the promise and desire to see advanced and
cellulosic replacement fuels come to the market."
The Air Transport Association of America (ATA), the industry
trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, also commended
the announcement. "This initiative is crucial to help turn the
promise of advanced aviation biofuels into reality, enhancing
America's energy security and reducing greenhouse gas emissions
while creating jobs," said ATA President and CEO Nicholas E. Calio
(pictured). "We already know how to produce and safely fly aviation
biofuels, so the government investment will help clear the last
hurdle and make the fuels commercially viable.
ATA said it remains committed to doing its part through its
ongoing initiatives, including the Commercial Aviation Alternative
Fuels Initiative (CAAFI), the Strategic Alliance for Alternative
Fuels with the U.S. military, and the Farm-to-Fly program with the
USDA and Boeing, to further the development and deployment of
sustainable alternative aviation fuels. "The USDA, the DOE and the
Navy are doing what the federal government did in jump-starting the
Internet, satellite systems and other backbone infrastructure
– working with industry to help make these ventures
self-sustaining," Calio said.
"The White House Biofuels Interagency Work Group has done a
thoughtful job of recognizing how important biofuels production is
for national defense. Energy independence is indeed a national
security issue,” stated Brent Erickson, executive vice
president of the Industrial & Environmental Section of The
Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO). “Our
nation’s military is as much at the mercy of high oil and
gasoline prices as the average consumer. In addition, it is
imperative that our services have access to domestically produced
fuel in order to avoid supply disruptions. Drop in advanced
biofuels produced in small, strategically located biorefineries can
be an important ‘force multiplier’ by increasing the
military’s ability to operate where needed and reducing the
costs and the number of combat forces necessary to protect energy
supply lines.
“The Navy and Air Force have already worked with biofuel
producers to test and certify that advanced biofuels meet the
exacting requirements for performance and cost established by the
military," Erickson said. "By sharing the costs of building or
retrofitting biorefineries to produce advanced biofuels, using
existing funding and acquisition authorities, the USDA, DOE and the
Navy can help accelerate their commercial development and ensure
availability for military purposes. The military’s leadership
can drive the costs down and increase availability for the
commercial sector. This action will help move forward the
commercialization of advanced biofuels and will further help
develop the biofuels market. We need a basket of policy options to
get the advanced biofuels industry to a large scale, and this joint
effort is one more step in the right direction.”