Reply #12: the US Air Force is testing bio fuels [View All]

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/03/air-force-debuts-biofuel-guzzling-warthog/


Air Force Debuts Biofuel-Guzzling Warthog

* By Jason Paur Email Author
* March 30, 2010 |
* 9:09 am |
* Categories: Air Force



For the first time ever, the U.S. Air Force has flown one of its jets powered entirely by a biofuel blend. The flight took place at Eglin Air Force Base in Flordia with an A-10 Thunderbolt II — an aircraft affectionately known as a Warthog — burning a combination of a fuel derived from camelina oil with conventional JP-8 jet fuel.

In a bid to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels, the Pentagon has been looking to new energy alternatives. Under the Air Force’s current energy plan, the goal is to acquire 50 percent of the domestic aviation fuel from an alternative blend by 2016. Terry Yonkers, the assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, environment and logistics, said in a statement the goal was to encourage a major shift in the way the service powers its aircraft. “Our goal is to reduce demand, increase supply and change the culture and mindset of our fuel consumption,” he said.

The Air Force is the largest user of jet fuel within the Department of Defense, and plans to have all of the aircraft in its inventory certified to fly using alternative fuels by the end of 2012. The current fleet of aircraft consumes 2.4 billion gallons of jet fuel per year. The A-10 test flight went well with “no problems whatsoever” according to the pilot.