Reply #30: New Energy Sources Fuel Interest from Secretary of the Navy

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http://www.onr.navy.mil/Media-Center/Press-Releases/201...

New Energy Sources Fuel Interest from Secretary of the Navy

Office of Naval Research
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: DEC. 8, 2011

By Katherine H. Crawford, Office of Naval Research

ARLINGTON, Va.—Underscoring the importance of alternative energy for the military, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus visited Marine Corps Base Hawaii on Dec. 7 to learn about possible Department of the Navy-wide applications for Office of Naval Research (ONR)-funded fuel cell vehicles (FCV) and high-efficiency trash disposal technology.

Mabus, who also attended events marking the 70th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack, was updated on progress with General Motors Equinox FCVs sponsored by ONR, five of which are located in Hawaii. The vehicles are being tested for possible use at DON installations, and fuel cell technology is being considered as a potential power source for unmanned undersea vehicles (UUV), auxiliary power units, pier-side generators and other applications.

“To meet the secretary’s energy goals, we need alternative, clean and reliable energy sources,” said Dr. Richard Carlin, director of ONR’s Sea Warfare and Weapons Department, which has a focus area on alternative fuels. “Fuel cells provide a means to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels by using sustainable alternative fuels and by increasing energy efficiency. They also provide advantages to tactical platforms, including ships and unmanned vehicles, by increasing platform ranges and reducing detectable heat and acoustic signatures.”

The FCV program at Marine Corps Base Hawaii has increased the percentage of “green” vehicles at the base to 30. It is anticipated that by the end of 2012, more than 50 percent of the base vehicle fleet will use alternative fuels, with that number increasing to 70 percent by 2015.

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