World’s First 100% Renewable Jet Fuel is Created
The Department of Defense funded the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) to create the world’s first renewable jet fuel, and the mission had been accomplished.
It didn’t surprise me to learn that the Department of Defense is the number one consumer of petroleum in America. And so neither did it surprise me to learn that the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) was granted a $4.7 million contract by the Department of Defense to research alternative and renewable sources of fuel.
My interest was piqued when, a few days ago, the EERC claimed to have invented the world’s first 100% renewable jet fuel.
JP-8 fuel is a petroleum-based fuel currently in wide use by the military. The EERC has created a substitute for the fuel, using renewable feedstock made from agricultural products and/or waste oils. The process developed by the EERC can produce propane, gasoline, jet fuel and diesel that are identical to the fuels derived from petroleum.
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“The EERC is now uniquely positioned to provide drop-in-compatible JP-8 fuel from both fossil and renewable feedstocks, providing critical strategic opportunities for the U.S. military as well as commercial aviation,” said EERC Director Gerald Groenewold.
With a keen interest in moving towards large-scale production of the fuel, the EERC is currently engaged in talks with the private sector to accomplish just such a feat.
In the past, the EERC has worked on many projects including: clean coal technologies, CO2 sequestration, energy and water sustainability, wind energy, biomass, water management and flood prevention. They are based at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks.
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Source: EEERC Website
Image Credit: image from flickr.com under a Creative Commons Attribution License
Editor’s note: This is a guest post by Meg Hamill who works as a freelance writer, and at the environmental non-profit LandPaths, in Santa Rosa, California.
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October 1st, 2008 at 9:46 pm
To learn more about the commerialization of algae, you may want to check out this website:
http://www.nationalalgaeassociation.com
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:44 am
Hey Meg – I don’t doubt you when you make the claim that the DoD is “the number one consumer of petroleum in America”, but how about a link to the place/places that can verify/amplify on that claim?
Link to generic DoD website – not so useful.
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:33 pm
I think you raise some very valid points here.
http://www.anonweb.eu.tc
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Very interesting. Sounds an awful lot like swiftfuel, developed by John and Mary Rusek from Indiana and mentioned in Cringley’s column a few weeks back:
http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/2008/pulpit_20080606_005036.html
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:37 pm
The DoD is the largest government user of fuel – because of air and ground operations of the Air Force. Duh. They are also one of the leading organizations in the world in developing alternative fuels in all areas, earning the 2005 EPA Green Power Leadership Award for its renewable energy program. Anyone who wants to critize the DoD or Air Force for their fuel consumption should read the PDF below and realize that the largest CONSUMERS of fuel are the ones most likely to develop alternative fuels in the U.S.A. because it is a FREE MARKET (for now anyway).
http://www.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-060627-012.pdf
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:50 pm
http://www.eia.doe.gov/neic/infosheets/petroleumproducts.html
October 2nd, 2008 at 3:11 pm
The DOD may be the largest “single” consumer, but that is kind of missleading.
The DOD uses less than industry, so if you were to consider “industry” a “single” entity as well, then DOD would not be the #1 consumer.
Just as “industry” is made up of many different sub-organizations, so is the DOD.
October 2nd, 2008 at 3:56 pm
I’m all for “renewable fuel” as long as it doesn’t cut into food supplies. Let’s try feeding humanity before we feed jets.
October 2nd, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Any word on how much this new fuel costs? what will the price of oil have to jump to for this to be competitive?
October 2nd, 2008 at 5:38 pm
I view this as good news. How many technologies were developed by the military that now have everyday uses in the civilian world? GPS, the Internet, Hummers, to name just a few. Once the DoD gets on board and starts using renewables, it will trickle down into the rest of the economy.
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:33 pm
Andy,
The food vs. fuel debate is dead. It has been proven that even corn ethanol is barely related to an increase in food prices. The bottom line is that there is more than enough food in this world to feed everyone, and that 2/3 of this world has too much to eat, while 1/3 don’t have enough to eat.
What we need to do RIGHT NOW is remove the strategic value from petroleum fuels. We need options at the pump, so that the middle east ceases to dictate world affairs…
October 3rd, 2008 at 5:59 am
As Eric said, “I view this as good news. How many technologies were developed by the military that now have everyday uses in the civilian world?”
I have to have to agree….good stuff.
October 3rd, 2008 at 4:46 pm
Looks like jet propulsion using fossil fuels such as oil is on its way out because oil sure as hell is running out and we can’t grow enough algae in every lake in America to feed these hungry buggers! No fear though, if we can’t fuel our war machine, no one else can! I can see the announcement now, “The old men from both countries had to call off their foolish war due to lack of oil, The young men rejoiced and went home to their sweethearts!” Maybe McCain/Bush loves war because he can no longer satisfy himself that other way?
October 4th, 2008 at 1:13 am
It’s not renewable. Sorry. It’s your food.
October 5th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
Any renewable energy source cannot and should not be at the expense of the food basket in any shape or form.
October 6th, 2008 at 10:40 pm
I for one think that the DOD has had a lot of hand in shaping America’s present by previous work on technologies we use widely today.
As for biofuels: I think we have plenty of non-food based technologies for creating alternative fuels. We also have A LOT of farmland just going to waste. I’d rather grow my own fuel to be honest. sounds like a good way to become self sufficient.