Inside the Ring

He said the U.S. military uses 93 percent of all federally used energy supplies and is the largest single consumer of energy in the United States.

Instead of oil, Mr. Mabus wants Navy equipment to run on algae, grain, cellulose, seawater, waves, wind, solar and geothermal power in the future and to “dream of what today might seem unimaginable.”

“Environmental stewardship is our responsibility,” the report states. “We will reduce the environmental impacts of our energy use, lead in reducing greenhouse-gas emissions and promote sustainability.”

It gives few details on how the Navy will make its ships, submarines, aircraft and ground vehicles environmentally friendly, but the report states that sailors will “consider carbon emissions in our daily operations and our procurements.”

The Navy also will “replace energy from fossil fuels with energy from alternative and renewable sources,” the report says.

The report says the green effort will be led by the Naval Energy Office, but it makes no mention of increasing the use of nuclear power, currently used to power all aircraft carriers and submarines.

On an unrelated subject, Mr. Mabus was asked to comment on the controversial case of four Navy SEALs currently courts-martial for purportedly punching an al Qaeda terrorist in Iraq. The terrorist was blamed for the deaths of four U.S. contractors and for misleading Navy investigators about the incident.

“It’s with the convening authority, and I can’t do it because of risk of command influence,” Mr. Mabus said.

Asked if he was aware of widespread criticism that the case has prompted from pro-military advocates, Mr. Mabus said: “I read the paper.”