Obama vows military energy independence

US President Barack Obama’s administration said they were committed to get energy independence for the nation’s military last week. During a tour of the USS Monterey (pictured), a missile cruiser, […]

US President Barack Obama’s administration said they were committed to get energy independence for the nation’s military last week.

During a tour of the USS Monterey (pictured), a missile cruiser, US Agriculture Secretary who works towards implementing the President’s plans, said advanced biofuels would be vital in reducing America’s dependence on foreign oil.

Mr Tom Vilsack said: “Developing the next generation of advanced biofuels for our nation’s military is both a national security issue and an economic issue. By utilising renewable energy produced on American soil, our military forces will become less reliant on fuel that has to be transported long distances and often over supply lines that can be disrupted during times of conflict.”

The news follows the President’s blueprint released last year for a secure energy future, where he set a goal of reducing oil imports by one-third by 2025. He planned to develop domestic oil and gas energy resources, increase energy efficiency and speed the development of biofuels and other alternatives.

Last month potential US presidential candidate Mitt Romney also claimed the US would have energy independence by 2021 if he came into power.

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