Americas News
U.S. Navy Seeks 37M gallons of Biofuels
The U.S. Navy says it is seeking at least 37 million gallons of drop-in biofuels for delivery starting in April 2015 as part of its efforts to reduce its dependence on petroleum.
"Expanding military energy sources improves the reliability of our overall fuel supply, adds resilience against supply disruptions, and gives the military more fuel options to maintain its readiness and defend the national security interests of the United States," the Navy said.
The tender is part of the Navy's upcoming Inland/East/Gulf Coast bulk fuels solicitation, and the biofuels will be used in its F-76 marine diesel and JP-5 shipboard jet fuel supply.
The biofuels can be blended with conventional petroleum products in a range of 10 to 50 percent and must be indistinguishable from standard fuel in performance and handling requirements.
The biofuel blends must also be cost-competitive with standard fuel, although the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is providing $27.2 million in funds to defray the extra costs of the fuels if they are made from certain domestic feedstocks.
So far, two biofuel pathways have been tested successfully for use in Navy and Marine Corps aircraft, ships, vehicles, and equipment, and the military is seeking more.
The U.S. military and USDA announced an effort to increase the use of biofuel from domestic sources in December.
