Some of the latest preparations for testing the Navy’s Great Green Fleet have been visible recently:
On June 13 the Military Sealift Command (MSC) fleet replenishment oiler USNS Henry J. Kaiser began loaded 900,000 gallons of an advanced biofuels mix. The fuels will be part of the Navy’s Great Green Fleet testing that will begin June 29 in waters near Hawaii. Several ships and aircraft will use biofuels during extended testing.
Yesterday in Puget Sound the Everett-based Coast Guard Cutter Henry Blake made its first voyage using biofuel derived from algae. This was the first time the entire ship’s operations were run with biofuels—any system that runs on diesel was successfully operated using the new fuel.
The raw video below shows the algal fuel mix being pumped into the Henry Blake’s tanks.
The biofuels being used this summer work with the military’s existing engines and infrastructure, allowing for an easy transition.
Domestically produced advanced biofuels offer the Department of Defense an excellent strategic advantage: they will protect military operations against the price volatility of fossil fuels, as well as outright supply disruptions caused by the actions of unfriendly nations.