The U.S. Navy is beginning to consider using green energy sources to save money and, more importantly, save lives.

According to Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, for every 50 convoys that bring fuel into combat zones, a Marine is killed or wounded, which he believes is too high a price to pay, reported the Virginian-Pilot. As a result of the casualties that occur when bringing fuel into combat zones, military officials are now looking at using existing fuel sources more efficiently and developing alternative sources that would require fewer convoys.

While saving lives, the military will also be saving money that it could use for other purposes. The more the military invests in developing green energy sources, the higher the potential for the technology to be passed on to create jobs, improve the environment and ease dependence on foreign oil.

While advocating for alternative fuel sources, Mabus has stood strong on his views, confronting critics who say energy policy should not be an area of concern for the Navy.

"When anyone says we can't afford to invest in developing alternative sources of energy, my reply is that we can't afford not to," Mabus said, according to the Pilot.

The U.S. Army also recently requested more than $7 billion in renewable energy projects to increase its use of alternative energy sources.