The military’s plans to expand its use of biofuel in planes, ships and other vehicles would generate at least $9.6 billion in economic activity and create more than 14,000 jobs by 2020, according to a report commissioned by NRDC affiliate Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2).
Led by the Navy and Air Force, the Department of Defense wants to reduce its dependence on oil by getting as much as 50 percent of its fuel from advanced biofuels by 2020. DoD’s top leaders have said that reducing the military’s use of oil is essential to national security, troop safety and avoiding fuel price spikes.
Just as importantly, if the Department of Defense is able to expand its use of advanced biofuels like it has said it wants to do, it would jump-start the biofuel market, which in turn would speed the adoption of biofuel by commercial airlines, vehicle fleets and other users, according to the report.
But under the National Defense Authorization Act, which Congress is expected to address in the next several weeks, the military—the nation’s biggest user of oil and gasoline—would be prohibited from expanding its use of biofuel.
To view the full report, click here