The USNS Henry J. Kaiser.

The USNS Henry J. Kaiser.

Everyone at Gage was thrilled when we found out that the U.S. Navy made the commitment to sail a “Great Green Fleet” by 2016. This fleet will include nuclear vessels, hybrid electric ships, and aircraft powered by biofuels. In the past couple of months, the Navy got things rolling by launching the oiler (a ship designed to carry fuel) USNS Henry J. Kaiser with nearly 900,000 gallons of biofuel blended with petroleum. It is on its way to help fuel ships and aircraft of a strike group that will be part of the largest annual international maritime warfare maneuvers, the 22-nation Rim of the Pacific exercise. The Navy is hoping that this important test of the biofuels will convince everyone that the project is worth not only the higher price tag but also a viable way to keep America safe. There has been a great deal of push back from some lawmakers about the initial costs of the plan. The biofuel itself will cost $26 a gallon compared to $3.60 for conventional fuel. However, the Navy believes that, in time the cost will come down and that you can’t put a price on energy independence. Only time will tell how this innovative plan will work. But as proponents of alternative fuels, Gage is a fan of anything that will add up to a cleaner and greener environment for us all.

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