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AFRL advisor honored for work promoting cooperation in alternative fuels

  • Published
  • By Laura Dempsey
  • Air Force Research Laboratory
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  When a national coalition of energy authorities established an award to recognize work in alternative fuels, it found the perfect honoree at the Air Force Research Laboratory, headquartered here.

William E. Harrison III, a technical advisor with AFRL's Propulsion Directorate, has the distinction of being one of four inaugural winners of the Visionary Achievement Award, presented by the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative. The award was given in recognition of the role Harrison played in getting CAAFI off the ground in 2006.

"I've been involved since it was a concept," he said. "I helped organize the structure and fostered the relationship between military and commercial interests. CAAFI unites the entire aviation enterprise to work in alternative fuels."

Harrison has worked in fuels most of his AFRL career. His shift toward alternative fuels came during an assignment at the Office of the Secretary of Defense from 2005 to 2006. When Michael W. Wynne became Secretary of the Air Force in late 2005, he "pulled the work on alternative fuels to the Air Force, and pushed us forward," said Harrison. "Mr. Wynne and his staff basically developed the basic energy strategy and plan, and that includes alternative fuels. It was truly visionary thinking."

It was evident early on that while the Air Force was moving forward in alternative fuels, the entire Department of Defense represented just 10 percent of the jet fuel used in the United States. The other is all commercial, Harrison said. CAAFI represents a relatively rare concept by successfully uniting airlines, aircraft and engine manufacturers, energy producers, researchers, international participants and U.S. government agencies, all working toward the goal of enhancing energy security and sustainability through the use of alternative jet fuels.

"It is kind of unusual to sit at the same table with somebody from a commercial airline, and somebody from another government agency -- like agriculture, which has a huge stake in this -- environmental interests, the business community. It's a very diverse group, but each has roles and a part in this," Harrison said.

Harrison received the award, established this year, during CAAFI's annual meeting in Washington, D.C. Undersecretary of the Air Force Erin Conaton attended the conference, and noted that Harrison is an international pioneer in the development of alternative fuels and distinguished himself by helping to bring domestically produced alternative fuels to market.

"It is fitting that a member of the Air Force is one of the first to receive this newly created award," Conaton said. "It is pioneers like Mr. Harrison (who) help solidify the Air Force's close working relationship with CAAFI, with a shared goal of finding safe, high-performance and cost-effective alternatives to petroleum-based fuel."

As for Harrison, his work with CAAFI continues.

"It's really moving and growing momentum -- really more than any of us anticipated," he said. "Working with a diverse group of people toward a common goal is invigorating and inspiring. I'm very proud to be in an organization working toward the civil and military good."