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Airman receives lifetime achievement award for alternative fuels

  • Published
WASHINGTON (AFNS) --  A technical advisor at the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, was recently awarded a lifetime achievement award for his extensive work with alternative fuels.

The Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative awarded William E. Harrison III the Visionary Leadership Award for his dedication to public service and exceptional achievement with alternative fuels research during an annual meeting held here.

CAAFI is a coalition of airlines, aircraft and engine manufacturers, energy producers, researchers, international participants and U.S. government agencies that partner in the development and deployment of alternative jet fuels for commercial aviation. CAAFI's goal is to promote the development of alternative jet fuel options that offer equivalent levels of safety and compare favorably on cost with petroleum-based jet fuel, while also offering environmental improvement and security of energy supply for aviation.

The award program, which began in 2011, recognizes advancements and leadership in the development and deployment of sustainable aviation alternative fuels.

Undersecretary of the Air Force Erin Conaton attended the event, noting that Harrison is an international pioneer in the development of alternative fuels and distinguished himself by helping to bring domestically produced alternative fuels to market.

"It is fitting that a member of the Air Force is one of the first to receive this newly created award," Conaton said. "It is pioneers like Mr. Harrison (who) help solidify the Air Force's close working relationship with CAAFI, with a shared goal of finding safe, high-performance and cost-effective alternatives to petroleum-based fuel."

Through CAAFI, the Air Force collaborates with industry, academia and other agencies. The Air Force is keenly interested in diversity of fuel supplies; its Alternative Fuel Certification Program has certified its fleet on Fischer Tropsch synthetics fuels and is on schedule to complete the certification of biofuels by next year. Biofuels promise to diversify supply and potentially reduce the lifecycle greenhouse gas footprint.

(Courtesy of Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs.)