World News
Australian Navy Vessels to be Biofuel-Capable
The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) plans to make all its ships and aircraft capable of operating on biofuel within six years, The Australian reports.
The conversion will support RAN's work with the U.S. Navy on joint operations, which has given Australia access to alternative fuel technology the U.S. military is developing.
RAN said Australia's ability to produce biofuels is now "embryonic," but it will look to adopt blends containing biofuels as they become available.
"As the industry becomes established and alternative fuel blends' costs approach parity, the RAN will seek to use blended alternative fuels," it said.
The Navy will modify ships during routine maintenance.
The U.S. Navy plans for its ships and planes to operate on at least a 50-50 fuel blend by 2020, and the cooperative relationship will allow more visits to Australian bases by U.S. forces.
"If the US is going to do it, and if its fleet will operate with mixes of fuel, then we are going to need to be able to do the same thing," said RAN Rear Admiral Tim Barrett.
"We take fuel from them when we are operating at sea with their fleet and they take fuel from us."
An Australian sugar maker has been developing a biofuel made from a waste product based partly on the promise that the U.S. Navy would pay a premium for such a product.
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