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The organization that arguably has the most to gain from viable alternative fuels is the U.S. military. To many strategists, the armed forces’ dependence on foreign sources of oil remain its greatest vulnerability. In Alternative Fuels for Military Applications, the RAND Corporation examines the alternatives to diesel, gasoline, and jet fuel and names the best possibilities for each.

The importance of this book reaches beyond the military. Once the national defense establishment places a bet on a given fuel technology, the cost to bring that technology to civilian applications drops. The Pentagon, in essence, subsidizes the costly development of the fuel, and civil society reaps the benefits.

As such, this book offers insights into the future of alternative fuels that are overlooked by the public and by those making global energy policy. If for no other reason, this book belongs on the shelves of anyone interested in the future of energy.

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