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.
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…
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.
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?
It’s not renewable. Sorry. It’s your food.
Any renewable energy source cannot and should not be at the expense of the food basket in any shape or form.
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.