benefits, case studies, testimonials

Biodiesel for the Military

BioPro 380 and SpringPro T76 from Springboard Biodiesel in operation at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan.

The ideal choice for military applications

Discover how government departments and the US military leverage our biodiesel processors to save on fuel costs and meet their needs.

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Case Study

Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan

Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan operating their BioPro 380 biodiesel processor.

Beginning in May of 2015, the “Mission Solutions team” at Bagram Airbase, led by Christopher Waechter, began using one BioPro 380EX/SpringPro T76 production system to convert used cooking oils collected from the mess halls into biodiesel. According to Waechter, they achieved a complete ROI in 16 days based on fuel savings compared to the local cost of diesel. After 6 years, Waechter’s team saved close to $5 million USD on fuel. In 2021, when the base was abandoned, the equipment was also left behind.
Three unrelated problems were solved by one simple solution devised by Logistics Civil Augmentation Program IV contract partner Fluor to convert used cooking oil into biodiesel to help power solid waste incinerators at Bagram Air Field in Afghanistan.The problems of environmentally responsible disposal of used cooking oil, powering solid waste incinerators and providing stewardship of taxpayer dollars were addressed when the contractor proposed a biodiesel process to Defense Contract Management Agency in March 2015 and processed the first 100-gallon batch May 3. "Bagram generates an average of 186 gallons of used cooking oil each day,” said Christopher Waechter, Fluor country environmental manager. “We chose a turnkey biodiesel processing system [The BioPro 380EX and SpringPro T76 from Springboard Biodiesel] for ease of use … by local national laborers."

– from Bagram Air Field converts UCO to biodiesel to power incinerators, Biodiesel Magazine, Sept 2015

Article on Bagram Air Base use of biodiesel — Bagram Airbase's Successful Biodiesel Program(Click to Read Full Article)

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Case Study

The Florida National Guard, Camp Blanding, Florida

The Florida National Guard is producing biodiesel from used vegetable oil to fuel state maintenance vehicles at Camp Blanding Joint Training Center in Starke, Florida. Jessica Blersch (pictured) is the camp's Sustainability Coordinator. She operates the Camp's BioPro 190 and said in a recent interview that the camp makes biodiesel from their waste cooking oil for a total cost of 67 cents per gallon. “Not only are we converting the cooking oil into something useable – in this case the fuel – but we’re also hitting an alternative fuel goal as well,” said Blersch adding, “It’s something anyone can set up in the garage to make biodiesel with.” See the article Florida National Guard producing alternative fuels at Camp Blanding Joint Training Center, in DVIDS.

Testimonial

Tim Smith and team at the federal prison in Cumberland MD, using their BioPro 380.

Federal Correctional Institution, Cumberland Maryland

Tim Smith is the Fleet Manager at the Federal prison in Cumberland, MD. He stands with their BioPro 380EX and SpringPro T76 (behind him) holding a sample. Cumberland is one of three federal prisons that currently operate BioPro 380s. Tim and selected inmates operate the equipment. We visited Tim back in 2012 and trained him and five inmates on the ins and outs of making biodiesel.

See "Just Got Back From Prison", blog entry from Matt Roberts, President of Springboard Biodiesel