Preparing the U.S. Department of Defense for a Post-Petroleum Era

Christine Parthemore and John Nagl | Center for a New American Security | 2010-09-27

This report frames the situation surrounding the dependence of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) on petroleum, noting that nearly 77 percent of the vehicles, ships and weapons systems presently being purchased by DoD depend on petroleum for fuel. The report asserts that readying America's military for future challenges will require DoD to shift all of its systems to non-petroleum fuels by 2040. It also provides recommendations and guiding principles for how DoD may accomplish this daunting task.