Pentagon told it must give up oil

Sydney Morning Herald
Wednesday 2/5/2007 Page: 8

WASHINGTON A study ordered by the Pentagon warns that the rising cost and dwindling supply of oil - the lifeblood of fighter jets, warships, and tanks - will make the US military's ability to respond to crises around the world "unsustainable in the long term".

The study, produced by a consulting firm, concludes that all four branches of the military must "fundamentally transform" their assumptions about energy, including taking immediate steps towards fielding weapons systems and aircraft that run on alternative and renewable fuels.

The Pentagon must "apply new energy technologies that address alternative supply sources and efficient consumption across all aspects of military operations", the report says. However, weaning the US military from fossil fuels quickly would be a Herculean task - especially because the bulk of the US arsenal depends on fossil fuels, and many military systems have been designed to remain in service for at least several decades.

However, Pentagon advisers believe the growing consumption of fossil fuels leaves military leaders with little choice but to break with the past as soon as possible. The report says the military is using 16 times more fuel per soldier in Iraq and Afghanistan than in World War II. The Pentagon commissioned LMI, a government-consulting firm, to produce the report.

Transforming the way DoD Looks at Energy is intended as a potential blueprint for a new military energy strategy and includes a detailed survey of potential alternatives to oil - including synthetic fuels, renewable biofuels, ethanol and biodiesel fuel as well as solar and wind energy, among many others.

The Boston Globe