Kirtland’s government fuel station goes E85 Published Dec. 5, 2008 By 1st Lt. J.T. Hawk 377th Logistics Readiness Squadron Vehicle Management Flight -- The 377th Air Base Wing has taken another huge step toward reducing its impact on the environment by introducing the use of the alternative fuel, E85. This is in addition to the existing alternative fuel, bio-diesel, which was introduced to Kirkland AFB in 2005. E85 is the term for motor fuel blends of 85 percent ethanol and just 15 percent gasoline. It is considered an alternative fuel as defined by the U.S. Department of Energy. Besides its superior performance characteristics, ethanol burns cleaner than gasoline; it is a completely renewable, domestic, environmentally friendly fuel that enhances the nation's economy and energy independence. Today, the U.S. imports more than half of its oil and overall consumption rates continue to increase. By supporting ethanol use, Kirtland AFB will help reverse that trend. By using the 85 percent ethanol mixture we can reduce pollution. Government tests have shown that E85 vehicles reduce harmful hydrocarbon and benzene emissions when compared to vehicles running on gasoline. E85 can also reduce carbon dioxide, a harmful greenhouse gas and a major contributor to global warming, as much as 39-46 percent compared to gasoline. Although CO2 is released during ethanol production and combustion, it is recaptured as a nutrient to the crops that are used in its production. Unlike fossil fuel combustion, which unlocks carbon that has been stored for millions of years, ethanol use results in low increases to the carbon cycle. Ethanol also degrades quickly in water and, therefore, poses much less risk to the environment than an oil or gasoline spill. Since E85's main ingredient is ethanol, which is non-toxic, water soluble and biodegradable, E85 is simply a better fuel for the world around us. E85 can only be used in vehicles designed for ethanol-based fuels. However, E85 vehicles can also use the unleaded grades of fuel available. This type of vehicle is known as a Flexible-fuel vehicle, or FFV. Vehicles that are/were not designed for E85 or other alcohol-based fuels cannot use it unless extensive modifications are performed. According to the DOE handbook on ethanol fuels, due to the high cost of conversion and the need for extensive engine calibration, engine modification is not recommended. Project MHMV 051003 was submitted to Air Force Materiel Command for the DESC Bulk Fuel Program in October 2004, with an estimated cost of $180,000 for design, purchase and installation of a 10,000-gallon tank, dispensers, piping and associated electrical wiring. Testing was completed in October, and Kirtland now joins the nation as an E85 user. According to the National Ethanol Vehicle Coalition, or NEVC, the nation's primary advocate of the use of E85 and high level blends of ethanol in flexible fuel vehicles, the number of E85 stations has now exceeded 1,800. There are currently 1,802 private and public refueling stations across the U.S. The number of facilities has grown 28 percent since October 2007. The NEVC also reports that the average price for a gallon of E85 is $1.90 compared to the average unleaded price of $2.18, for a spread of 12.94 percent. Kirtland's E85 site is at the Military Service Station "B." It is on the east side of Kirtland AFB west of the Vehicle Management complex at the junction of 1st Street and K Street. Within the air base wing, there are 55 vehicles capable of using E85. This number will increase as older vehicles are replaced. For more information and the most current average price of E85, visit the NEVC Web site at www.e85fuel.com/.