A Survey of Alternate Fuels and Their Suitability for Use by the U.S. Navy

The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of Naval tactical and non-tactical use of alternative fuels as a way to reduce dependence on foreign oil and harmful air pollutants. The alternative fuels are divided into two classes: biofuels and manufactured fuels. The biofuels are the simple alcohols (methanol, ethanol, and butanol) that can be produced from biomass (various crops, grasses, trees, etc.) and biodiesel that is produced from various vegatable and animal triglycerides (oils and fats). The manufactured fuels are the Fischer-Tropsch (F T) and pyrolysis processes. These processes convert coal, natural gas, or biomass into liquid fuels that closely resemble petroleum fuels. The production methods and properties of these alternative fuels will be presented. This report also identifies S&T areas for future developments.