Fuels going green Published March 12, 2009 By Howdy Stout Tinker Public Affairs TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla., -- An estimated $1 million project to construct a new alternative fuels station is in the works here, according to the 72nd Logistics Readiness Squadron. If approved by the Defense Energy Support Center, the proposed service station would house four, 12,000 gallon above-ground tanks containing ethanol-based E85, unleaded, diesel and bio-diesel fuels for the base's estimated 1,500 general and special-purpose vehicles. "We want (the old station) dismantled and a new service station installed," said John Rucci, function director of the Fuels Quality Branch at the 72nd Logistics Readiness Squadron. "This would allow E85 vehicles to refuel here on base rather than leave base to fill up." At the moment, up to 75 percent of new vehicles entering government service must use some form of alternative fuel. The requirement is part of federal requirements to reduce petroleum consumption and emissions through the use of alternative "green" fuels. "The primary concern is trying to get away from dependence on foreign oil and going green," said Eddie Allen, chief of the Vehicle Quality Branch at the 72nd LRS. "Of any new vehicle that comes into our system, we need to make sure that 75 percent of them are alternative fuel vehicles." Mr. Allen said the alternative fuel of choice is E85, which is an ethanol-based fuel containing up to 85 percent of ethanol alcohol derived from corn. Of the estimated 1,500 vehicles on base maintained by the 72nd LRS, between 60 and 65 of them use E85. However, Mr. Rucci said, these vehicles must travel off-base to be refueled. By installing a new facility at Tinker, these vehicles could remain on base. This would make refueling operations self-contained and reduce lost productivity, he said. The plan is part of a reworked proposal for submission to the Defense Energy Support Center, which if approved, would fund the project. In a similar plan, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio recently installed tanks dedicated to E85. Unlike gasoline/ethanol blends that use up to 10 percent ethanol, E85 is mainly ethanol. This gives it a higher octane rating than ordinary gasoline and, theoretically, more power. Mr. Allen said the "Big Three" US vehicle manufacturers favor the production of E85-consuming vehicles. At Tinker, most of the vehicles using E85 are general purpose vehicles. Mr. Allen said using E85 doesn't affect vehicle maintenance, fuel economy or power output. "My experience is you really can't tell the difference," he said.