Air Force moving forward with synthetic fuel

[unhappycamper]

Air Force moving forward with synthetic fuel
By James Hannah - The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Nov 21, 2007 12:07:31 EST

DAYTON, Ohio — In hopes of protecting the nation from terrorist acts or natural disasters that could reduce the supply of oil, the Air Force has approved using a blend of synthetic and petroleum-based fuel in some of its planes and is testing it in others.

It’s part of an initiative intended to eventually lead to the use of synthetic fuel derived from coal, natural gas or biomass. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton has played a lead role in the initiative and the testing.

“The pilots who have flown on this stuff have noticed no difference. Every indication is, it will be successful,” said Kevin Billings, deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for environment, safety and occupational health.

The Pentagon began looking at coal in 2001 when Congress earmarked $13 million to investigate the Fischer-Tropsch process in which coal is gasified and then liquefied into fuel. The technology was developed by Germany in the 1920s and used by South Africa beginning in the 1950s.

The fuel being tested by the Air Force is a 50-50 blend of fuel refined from natural gas using the Fischer-Tropsch process and fuel refined from oil. Liquid fuel made from coal is expected to be available by 2012.

In August, the Air Force certified its fleet of B-52s to use the blend. It is expected to finish testing the blend in C-17s by May. Next week, it will begin ground-testing the blend on a B-1 bomber engine at Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn.


Rest of article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2007/11/ap_synthetic_fuel_071121/



uhc comment: The United States military uses 340,000 barrels of oil a day --> http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=259&topic_id=6910