President Barack Obama’s nominee for defense secretary, Chuck Hagel, said last week he’d prioritize alternative fuels development if confirmed.
“I would make that a high priority if I am confirmed and go over to the Defense Department, to see…how we can continue to do that,” Hagel said last week during his confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “In the end, for all the reasons you know, it is just clearly in the interest of our country, our resources and our people.”
Hagel’s response was to a question posed by Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), who asked if he’d continue to “emphasize and prioritize” alternative fuel research and development, deployment of renewable fuels and enhanced energy efficiency efforts.
“I don’t know anything more specific or central to our security more than energy,” Hagel said later in the hearing in a response to committee Ranking Member James Inhofe (R-Okla.).
The Pentagon has recently emphasized the development of alternative fuels, or biofuels, for their potential cost savings and as a way of weaning the services off of traditional, petroleum-based fossil fuels that are often obtained from adversaries of the United States. The Navy and Air Force have made significant investments in their alternative fuels development over the years, with the two services having an ambitious goal of receiving half their energy from non-fossil fuels by 2020. DoD has set an overall goal of reducing energy intensity by 30 percent by 2015 and 37.5 percent by 2020 (Defense Daily, April 5).
The Air Force has spent a substantial amount of money over the years developing alternative fuels that can be “dropped-in,” or used, in any Air Force jet without modifying engines for use. The service has certified Hydrotreated Renewable Jet (HRJ) fuel to be used as a 50/50 blend with traditional petroleum, or JP-8, in all jets fleet-wide (Defense Daily, Jan. 25). Unfortunately, for the Air Force, its Alternative Fuels Certification Division (AFCD) will stand down March 1 due to expiring funds. An Air Force spokesman told Defense Daily in December the service is currently reviewing the AFCD’s request for additional funding, but due to looming DoD budget tightening, it is unknown if any level of funding will be made available (Defense Daily, Dec. 19).
DoD’s alternative fuels efforts have been panned by conservative lawmakers who view the efforts as an inefficient use of dwindling defense funds. Inhofe and former SASC ranking member John McCain (R-Ariz.) have been among the most outspoken with McCain lamenting at a March 15 SASC hearing the Navy paid $424 per gallon for 20,000 gallons of biodiesel made from algae in 2008 (Defense Daily, May 29).
The SASC could vote on Hagel’s confirmation as early as Thursday. If the SASC votes in Hagel’s favor, the full Senate will hold a vote to confirm (Defense Daily, Feb. 1).