Army going green with fuel use

By Skip Vaughn, AMCOMOctober 2, 2008

Electric Ride
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

The recent gasoline shortage delayed some fuel deliveries but didn't affect Redstone operations.

"We have enough inventory to offset any irregularities in distribution. So we're doing fine," Tony Fuller, chief of supply and services division in the Garrison's Directorate of Logistics, said.

The Defense Energy Support Center is the executive agent for fuel. Redstone each month consumes about 30,000 gallons of gasoline and about 15,000 gallons of diesel.

"And our goal is to reduce that, based on using our initiatives to go green," director of logistics Chris Pegues said.

Greening initiatives are authorized by federal mandate to reduce carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and other harmful emissions. The goal is "to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels," Pegues said. "To take the best care of the environment, be good stewards of the environment."

As a result, the Army chief of staff and the Installation Management Command want the Army to go green.

Redstone is working on three such initiatives:

Aca,!Ac Purchased by the Army Environmental Command, a biodiesel tank for diesel vehicles should be installed in mid-November. This 12,000-gallon tank will be located at the Garrison fuel point. Biodiesel comes from such things as plants, recycled grease and cooking oil. "It's blended with diesel, so effectively you'll use a lot less fossil fuel," Pegues said. "It's more friendly to the environment or to the air, burns cleaner. Late model diesel vehicles all should be able to burn biodiesel fuel."

Aca,!Ac E 85, an ethanol blend of gas, will be installed with the upgrade of the Garrison fuel point within the next year.

Aca,!Ac Adding electric vehicles, but officials are considering the safety aspect because of these vehicles' low speed. Army officials know of three on post: one at Marshall Space Flight Center, and two at the Aviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center.

"Additional electric vehicles will be coming in next spring," Pegues said.

There are some things individual workers can do to save on fuel. These include: avoid unnecessary trips in government vehicles; slow down and eliminate fast starts; and carpool -- even in government vehicles.

"Apply the same logic as if you were paying the bill or buying the gas," Fuller said.