Mike Breen Headlines 8th Annual Algae Biomass Summit

(Operation Free) Truman Project Executive Director Mike Breen Highlights Need for Expanded Sources of Renewable Energy
Former U.S. Army Captain and Truman Project Executive Director Mike Breen spoke at the 2014 Algae Biomass Summit. During his headline address, he highlighted the role that advanced biofuels, like algae, can play in strengthening our national security.
Excerpts of Breen’s speech can be found below. Breen was joined by an impressive group of speakers including Reps. Scott Peters (D-CA) and Matt Salmon (R-CA), Co-Chairs of the Congressional Algae Caucus (via video address) and Dennis McGinn, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Energy, Installations & Environment and San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer. The Algae Biomass Organization (ABO), the trade association for the US algae industry, produces the Algae Biomass Summit.
... The Truman National Security Project unites next-generation veteran, political, and policy leaders to develop and advance strong, smart, and principled solutions to the global challenges Americans now face. It is home to the clean energy campaign, Operation Free, a coalition of veterans and national security experts from across the country who advocate for securing America with clean energy.

Excerpts from Michael Breen’s address at the 2014 Algae Biomass Summit:

Military challenges
“The military remains the largest consumer of fuel in the world. Heavily reliant on fossil fuels to power vehicles, ships, aircraft, and equipment. And the fuel burden will only increase. Even as we lead coalition airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, our military is executing a strategic rebalance to the Asia Pacific. That means putting more forces into the Combatant Command with an area of responsibility covering more than half the earth’s surface. And focusing missions on our most energy intensive branches.”
Economic Challenges
“The military’s concerns over its energy future are the same concerns Americans face every day. Our dependence on oil affects family budgets just like DoD’s budget when prices spike due to events outside our control. When the price of oil goes up by $10 a barrel, the DoD is left with a $1.3 billion budget shortfall. Increases in gasoline prices in 2011 cost U.S. households $73 billion compared to 2010.”
Political Challenges
“With global demand set to rise, our increased production won’t lead to price stability in the global market, meaning we’ll be chained to the same volatile dynamics that imperil our economic and national security.”
True American Energy Security
“True American Energy Security can only be achieved through a comprehensive approach, relentlessly focused on three key principles: Freedom of Action, Assured Access, and Minimizing Risk. For the military this means the ability to respond quickly and decisively to threats and missions. All Americans need the same security and capability. They need to know they’ll be able to fill their tank to get to work at a reasonable price. We can only ensure access to reliable supplies of fuel if we have a diverse set of sources. We should be building markets, not chained to them.”
Minimizing Risk
“The 2014 QDR identifies climate change as a threat multiplier that exacerbates resource scarcity, political instability, and social tensions- conditions which enable terrorism and other forms of violence. Climate change is already creating severe global impacts- from exacerbating conflicts in Darfur and Syria to threatening military installations in Florida and Norfolk, Virginia. We must work to mitigate against those threats, through investing in energy efficiency, renewable power generation, and advanced low carbon fuels.”
Advanced Biofuels: A Duty to Succeed
“Challenges of this magnitude can only be confronted with enormous innovative effort. Some might find the size of this challenge paralyzing when compared to the size of this room. But you have a duty to succeed. And I’m here to tell you that you’re not in it alone. The thousands of veterans and supporters of Operation Free are standing with you. We’re here to be your partners in this effort, so that we can grow together.” READ MORE and MORE (Biofuels Digest)

Excerpt from Biofuels Digest:
If there’s a better example of the massive geopolitical consequences of our dependence on oil, I don’t know it. $90 billion and all those personnel at risk, to assure the supply of someone else’s oil, and to maintain the oil price.
You might have heard of ISIS, or Islamic State — which is neither Islamic nor a state. It is the darkest army on the face of the earth — using assassination, rape, torture — beading a number of US and European civilians in recent weeks.
Where does the money come from for our adversaries? Who is funding them, with what?
You might wonder where all their money comes from.
Well, they control 10 oil fields in Syria and Iraq and they pump 80000 barrels a day of oil which they sell into the global market for oil, generating $200 million a month for themselves which they use to buy arms, fighters, and loyalty. In fact, the US has started bombing their oil fields and refineries in order to deny them that resource.
We are shackled to a global market and shackled to a global crisis, funded by oil and fueled by oil.
An escape from the cycle of violence and volatility
There is a growing number of people, in the military and outside of it, who have begun to conclude that advanced energy technologies are the solution to this addiction to oil. That’s why I was one of the first 100 to join Operation Free and why more than 50,000 have joined to date.
Those of us who have been in the military know it is not going to be easy to be the first technology, or the first producer, or the first user. As one of my military instructors taught me, the first guy through the wall gets bloody.
But this industry does not have a choice except to succeed.
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But I can tell you, they are using advanced biofuel blends on F18s in combat conditions. And if TOP GUN guys flying F18′s in combat are OK with these fuels, your F150 is going to be just fine.
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Climate change is a threat multiplier that exacerbates resource scarcity, political instability, and social tensions- conditions which enable terrorism and other forms of violence.
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Climate change is already creating severe global impacts- from exacerbating conflicts in Darfur and Syria to threatening military installations in Florida and Norfolk, Virginia. We must work to mitigate against those threats, through investing in energy efficiency, renewable power generation, and advanced low carbon fuels.” READ MORE