In Montana, a scientist at the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory has discovered that special proteins can keep microbes from colonizing inside fuel tanks and degrading the fuels–especially biodiesel. Contamination and degradation is especially problematic for biodiesel, which often contains fatty acid methyl esters that can be metabolized by microbial organisms. In support of the […]
In India, the Hindu newspaper reports that the country’s navy is following in the footsteps of its air force and the US Navy by introducing 5% biodiesel into its High Speed Diesel for its naval fleet. The navy will replace around 315,000 liters of fossil diesel annual as a result of the shift. Biogas plants […]
In India, the Hindu newspaper reports that the government is trying to set up 1,000 liter per day aviation biofuel plants in five states across the country in part to help fuel a two-year testing program by the air force that will trial the fuel in all of its aircraft types such as helicopters, transport […]
In India, on December 17, Experimental Test Pilots and Test Engineer from IAF’s premier testing establishment ASTE, flew India’s first military flight using blended bio-jet fuel on the An-32 transport aircraft. The project is a combined effort of IAF, DRDO, Directorate General Aeronautical Quality Assurance (DGAQA) and CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum. On July 27, 2018, […]
In Oregon, the Air Force has opened a public comment period on its Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) and Draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) to evaluate the development of a domestic commercial-scale military specification transportation fuel production capability using biomass feedstocks for Red Rock Biofuels. Comments are due by Feb. 5. Two sites were […]
In Washington, amidst scathing headlines regarding the Great Green Fleet Demonstration, Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Susan Collins (R-ME) have published an article in Politico criticizing Congress’s push back on the Pentagon’s efforts in the alternative fuel arena. Echoing the sentiments of the biofuel industry, they brought up the cost of our dependence on foreign […]
Storm breaks out between US military leaders and House Republicans. Can the US afford to deploy fuels with advanced war fighting capabilities? Republicans say, for now, “no”. WASHINGTON, DC — May 21 — New tests conducted at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base have revealed that US warplanes are capable of flying faster and carry more payload […]
In Ohio, the Air Force Research Laboratory Alternative Fuels Team is the recipient of the 2011 Theodore von Karman Award. The Theodore von Karman Award is the highest research award provided from the Air Force Association in recognition of the most outstanding contribution in the field of science and engineering. The AFRL Fuels team research […]
In California, an F-22 Raptor successfully flew at supercruis (supersonic flight without using the engine’s afterburner) on a 50/50 fuel blend of conventional petroleum-based JP-8 and biofuel derived from camelina. The flight was the capstone of a series of ground and flight test events conducted by the 411th Flight Test Squadron at Edwards Air Force […]
In New Mexico, the US Air Force has granted New Mexico State University $2.364 million towards algal research to study better ways to grow algae and refine its oil while working with the University of Central Florida to determine the effects of algae-based fuel on jet engines. Project researchers say they must increase the biomass […]
