Judith Albert is executive director of NRDC affiliate Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2), a community of business leaders who advocate for sound environmental policy that promotes economic prosperity.

How do the Navy’s energy goals complement the efforts of the business and environmental communities?

The Navy may be the single best economic catalyst to advance clean energy technology. Advanced biofuel companies need demand to bring their technologies to scale. The Navy has the necessary purchasing power, and as production increases, costs decrease. These technologies have been developed privately, at times with early-stage financing from the Department of Energy; the Navy’s rigorous performance standards will take them to the next level of sophistication.

What are E2's links with the Navy?

We knew Assistant Secretary Jackalynne Pfannestiel (see "Naval Intelligence") from her time at the California Energy Commission. When Secretary [Ray] Mabus declared that energy reform was a strategic imperative for the Navy, E2 reached out to her to ask how we could be supportive of the Navy's goals. We've arranged for E2 members to meet with the Navy, at sea and in Washington, to better understand the mission and demands of the country's largest single fuel customer. And we have an ongoing dialogue with Pfannestiel and her staff about ways in which we can reduce energy dependence.

How does E2's work advance the Navy's goals of reducing its reliance on fossil fuels?

With Congress unable to take affirmative steps on clean energy policy, the Navy has become one of the strongest advocates for clean low-carbon technology. The Navy's commitment is based on national security concerns. As a business advocacy group, E2 can reinforce that message by pointing to the economic benefits of the Navy's procurement program. It is enabling advanced biofuels companies to move from early stage to commercial-scale operations, thereby creating a domestic industry to replace imported oil and, in the process, creating jobs and reducing the trade deficit. Similarly, the drive for energy efficiency on naval bases is expanding the market for more efficient building materials and renewable energy sources.

It is important to get the Navy's message out to a wider audience. E2 organized a panel on "The Department of Defense as Market Maker" at our 10^th anniversary summit, moderated by an E2 member who is a retired naval commander and SEAL. We will continue to organize forums where Navy officers, businesspeople, and environmentalists can discuss concrete measures to address the security risks and environmental risks posed by our dependence on fossil fuels.

What impact will the Navy's goals have on the environment?

The Navy is mission oriented, not environmentally oriented, but its impact can only be positive for the environment. Beyond the immediate benefit of reducing the Navy's own carbon footprint, the program should effectively jumpstart the advanced biofuels industry and the transition toward lower-carbon fuel throughout the economy. The Navy's focus on energy efficiency, coupled with its reputation for high performance standards, lends powerful credibility to the importance of implementing energy efficiency measures around the country.