Air Force officials last week cut the ribbon on a new $7.4 million energy-producing device at Hurlburt Field, Fla., ceremoniously marking the start of its operations. The plasma waste-to-energy system will be able to convert 4,200 tons of Hurlburt’s garbage annually to usable energy. “This is history in the making,” said Terry Yonkers, USAF’s assistant for installations, environment, and logistics, who was on hand for the April 26 ceremony. “This is the first waste-to-energy project of this technology to go into an air base.” The system uses the intense heat of plasma to convert waste into a synthetic gas that provides energy. The system is transportable and could operate at deployed US military locations. The project started in 2007; it was the brainchild of Ron Omley, Air Force Special Operation Command’s environmental chief. Pyrogenesis of Montreal, Canada, developed it. (Hurlburt report by Ashley M. Wright)
As the Air Force moves forward with its efforts to operationalize the concept of agile combat employment, leaders need to embrace an iterative approach that builds on itself, recognizing that ACE may never be fully complete, said Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr.