New study shows increased belief in clean energy by US Defence Department

A study conducted by Pew Charitable Trusts has found that the US Defence Department has more than tripled its investment in clean-energy technologies, including biofuels development, since 2009.

According to the study, the increased investment has risen from $400 million (€329.4 million) to $1.2 billion and is further projected to reach $10 billion by 2030. The department is set to focus on improving energy efficiency of its vehicles and at its bases while developing and testing advanced biofuels that can be used in existing aircraft and ships.

The state of Ohio may benefit from these results as it is home to blended aviation fuel research by the Air Force Research Laboratory and the University of Dayton Research, plus military and commercial jet engine testing facilities owned by General Electric which has pledged to buy five million gallons of biofuels annually from 2015 to use.

Pentagon officials have said that its priorities include reducing reliance on foreign countries for petroleum and reducing the defense budget’s exposure to oil price increases on the market.