Held Prisoner in Hampton Roads

Green . . .

. . . at ANY cost?

The U.S. Navy was just directed to buy 450,000 gallons of biofuel instead of standard JP-5.  The bio fuel is made from waste cooking oil and algae.

We're all for green, right?

Yes, to an extent. 

But then there's this:

1.  The bio fuel costs $16.00 per gallon, 4 times the cost of standard jet fuel.  This little purchase will cost 7$7.2 million instead of $1.8 million.

2.  Solazyme, the company that is supplying the biofuel uses a refinery that was subsidized with U.S. "stimulus" funds - to the tune of $22 million.

3.  The "strategic advisor" to Solazyme, T. J. Glauthier was on Barry O's transition team.

4.  Glauthier also worked on the energy-sector portion of the 2009 stimulus bill.

5.  There are plans in place to spend $510 million on this fuel over the next three years.  Simple math tells me that is a waste of $382 million.

I understand that we need to transition from fossil fuels.  However, with the world economy in the tank and the U.S. facing an unsustainable debt load, can we afford to pay four times the price for anything? 

I also understand that development of alternatives requires support - but not EVERYTHING needs to be backed up by Uncle Sam. 

Let me put it another way.  Are YOU willing to start spending $16.00 per gallon for gasoline so that this industry can grow?