US Air Force demonstrating hydrogen as alternate fuel source

The US Air Force is demonstrating the use of hydrogen as an alternate fuel source at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.

In a recent visit to JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, members of the Air Force Civil Engineer Center’s Energy and Operations directorates were given a tour of the installation’s hydrogen production facility and shown several of the vehicles that use this alternative fuel. This project, with assets housed at the 647^th Logistics Readiness Squadron and with the Hawaii Air National Guard, is part of a cooperative agreement between the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and the Hawaii Center for Advanced Transportation Technologies (HCATT).

This 25-passenger crew bus is one of the vehicles powered by a hydrogen fuel cell used at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in a demonstration of hydrogen as an alternative fuel source. (US Air Force photo by J. Brian Garmon) Click to enlarge.

This state organization supports the Hawaii ANG, the National Guard Bureau, and the US Air Force. It is tasked to demonstrate hydrogen technology and its potential applications within the Defense Department.

In areas such as Hawaii, where renewable energy resources account for a large portion of the grid’s total electrical capacity, intermittent renewable energy resources, such as wind and solar, become less desirable. Continual sources of renewable energy, such as hydrogen, become an important focus in the shift towards cleaner, cost-effective energy. This is due to the need for a consistent supply of power to meet electrical load demands.

This hydrogen project has been in place for more than a decade, originally installed in 2006 as a mobile hydrogen production, compression, storage, and dispensing unit, and was upgraded in 2010. Both systems were set up to support all DoD hydrogen vehicle testing, to include both hydrogen internal combustion and fuel cell vehicles.

Some of the hydrogen vehicles currently supported by this station include a 25 passenger crew bus, a MJ-1E fighter weapons loader and a U-30 heavy aircraft tug.

HCATT’s partnership with AFRL, AFCEC, NGB, HIANG, and the invaluable support from Hawaii Senator Brian Schatz, are key to the program’s success in demonstrating the versatility of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles within DoD. These proofs of concept not only provide alternate vehicle choices for the Air Force’s flight line of the future, but also will help the state of Hawaii in its effort to increase hydrogen usage across the islands.

—Stan Osserman, HCATT director

This project not only supports the Air Force’s goal of increasing its renewable energy usage, but also aligns with the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative, launched originally in 2008. HCEI seeks to achieve the nation’s first 100% renewable portfolio standards by 2045 and to reduce petroleum use in Hawaii’s transportation sector.

Hydrogen fuel cell use is growing exponentially worldwide in the private sector. The DoD could benefit, on many different levels, by embracing the adaptability and scalability of hydrogen and fuel cell systems.

—Stan Osserman