US Coast Guard Conducts B100 Trial in 49-Foot BUSL Boat
by Erin Voegele (Biodiesel Magazine) The U.S. Coast Guard is exploring the possibility fueling some of its vessels with biodiesel. According to Rich Hansen, branch chief of the USCG’s Research and Development Center surface branch, the USCG is evaluating the use of B100 in a 49-foot Buoy Utility Stern Loading (BUSL) boat. The BUSL boat will operate in its normal capacities over a one-year period while the USCG collects data on boat performance and fuel behavior.
“The ultimate goal of this effort is to provide the Coast Guard decision makers with information on what it would take for the Coast Guard to transition to B100,” Hansen said. According to the USCG, the objective of the project is to provide a means for the USCG to comply with a Presidential Executive Order and a Department of Homeland Security policy that sets reduction targets for greenhouse gas emissions through the use of renewable fuels and improved energy efficiency. READ MORE