Biofuels Find a Home within the U.S. Coast Guard
by Alicia Moore (HydrogenFuelNews.com) …The U.S. Coast Guard has also taken a keen interest in biofuels, using them to power the ship Henry Blake on its maiden voyage.
Henry Blake combines diesel with biofuel The ship makes use of a 50/50 blend of biofuel and conventional diesel. The Henry Blake was chosen for this fuel blend because of its classification as a “cutter” ship. According to the Coast Guard, a cutter is any seafaring vessel that is over 65 feet long. These types of ships are believed to be an ideal test vehicle for biofuels and other forms of clean energy. The Henry Blake serves as a law enforcement vessel and will be used to conduct search-and-rescue missions in the future.
… The biofuels used to power the Henry Blake were derived from algae. The algae biofuel is mixed with conventional diesel to create a cleaner burning energy source for the ship. The Henry Blake is the first ship in the Coast Guard to make use of the fuel blend, but is not likely to be the last. According to Coast Guard officials, the maiden voyage of the vessel was a success. This success is expected to pave the way for the use of biofuels in the future. READ MORE
