U.S. Armed Forces to Meet 25% to 50% of Energy Needs from 'Green Fuels'

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--The world's most powerful and well-funded military, the United States Armed Forces, is looking to "go green" by obtaining 25% to 50% of its energy needs from renewable biofuels. The U.S. Air Force is ahead of schedule in preparing to certify more than 40 aircraft models to use renewable fuels by 2013, three years ahead of the target year of 2016. The U.S. Army's schedule is to have 25% of its fuel needs from biofuels by 2025, and the Navy and Marines plan to shift half of their fuel needs to renewables by 2020.

However, the military will not move beyond testing biofuels until their prices fall to a level that is more competitive with refined petroleum products. But with a massive client like the U.S. government, which spends more than $8 billion per year in fuel costs, getting the cost per gallon from non-food cellulosic fbiofuels could accelerate production to a new level.

Testing biofuels is already under way at big aircraft manufactures like Boeing (NYSE:BA) (Chicago, Illinois) and Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) (Bethesda, Maryland), as well as engine producers General Electric (NYSE:GE) (Fairfield, Connecticut), Pratt & Whitney (East Hartford, Connecticut) and Rolls-Royce (PINK:RYCEY) (London, England).

The biofuels used in testing were produced at Dynamic Fuels LLC's 75 million-gallon-per-year synthetic diesel plant in Geismar, Louisiana. The $150 million-plus plant went into operation in late 2010 and is a joint venture between Tyson Foods (NYSE:TSN) (Springdale, Arkansas) and Syntroleum Corporation (NASDAQ:SYNM) (Tulsa, Oklahoma), and utilizes Honeywell UOP licensed biofuels process technology.

Beyond the U.S. military, other potential end users for aviation biofuels include KLM, Mexican Airports, Qatar Airways, Continental Airlines, Japan Airlines, Virgin Air and Air New Zealand.

Envergent Technologies Incorporated (Des Plaines, Illinois), a joint venture between Ensyn Technologies Incorporated (Wilmington, Delaware) and UOP LLC (Des Plaines) recently broke ground on a demonstration-scale green jet fuel and diesel biorefinery at Tesoro's refinery in Kapolei, Hawaii. The plant is expected to go into operation by late 2012.

Industrial Info's databases provide a comprehensive outline of all current development activities in the emerging alternative fuels market. Our North American Biodiesel Database covers 136 operational plants and 90 plants under development. Our North American Ethanol Database covers 214 plants currently in operation and 138 plants in various phases of development. Our North American Wood Fuel Pellet Database includes 63 operational plants producing greater than 25,000 tons annually, and 38 projects under progress.

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