JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas – The Department of the Air Force plans to reduce its carbon footprint and enhance energy resiliency at installations by taking advantage of new power-generation technology.
Seeking to fortify defense infrastructure, the DAF is awarding a contract for a prototype flex-fuel power generator to Mainspring Energy, Inc. The company will test the 125/230-kilowatt linear generator at Travis Air Force Base, California, beginning this fall. It can run on several gaseous fuels like natural gas, ammonia and hydrogen.
A three-month demonstration period will determine whether the gaseous fuels can efficiently power generators to produce a viable carbon-free energy source and bolster the resiliency of defense infrastructure.
The Air Force Civil Engineer Center Air Force Office of Energy Assurance at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, will administer the pilot program’s development.
“This announcement demonstrates an innovative solution to a changing landscape favoring carbon- and pollution-free energy sources,” said AFOEA Director Kirk Phillips. “With their multi-fuel capability, these types of generators will not need to be replaced as available fuels change and evolve. We are also more resilient when we aren’t dependent on a single type of fuel.”
The announcement initiates the acquisition process and prototype demonstration. AFOEA, AFCEC Readiness Directorate at Tyndall, and Travis AFB 60th Civil Engineer Squadron will oversee the pilot program.
The project will generate reports on performance, compliance verification and testing. The findings will include efficiency, power output, fuel consumption, and emissions data for all gaseous fuels tested during the demonstration period.
The test period is expected to conclude by the end of the year.