Airlines join forces to develop new aviation fuels
Airlines join forces to develop new aviation fuels
By The Nation
Scandinavian Airlines, Boeing and Honeywell’s UOP, a refining technology developer, and other leading airlines, are cooperating to accelerate the development and commercialisation of sustainable new aviation fuels.
Other airlines supporting the sustainable fuels initiative include Air France, Air New Zealand, All Nippon Airways, Cargolux, Continental Airlines, Gulf Air, Japan Airlines, KLM and Virgin Atlantic Airways. Collectively, they account for more than 15 percent of commercial jet fuel use.
The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group aims to make commercial aviation the first global transportation sector to voluntarily drive verifiable sustainability practices into its fuel supply chain. The group has the support of leading environmental bodies such as World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).
The group’s charter is to enable the commercial use of renewable fuel sources. These fuels will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lessen commercial aviation’s exposure to oil price volatility and dependence on fossil fuels.
“One of the SAS Group’s six environmental goals is to be amongst the first airlines to include renewable biofuel for commercial flights,” said Niels Eirik Nertun, Environment Director, SAS Group. “This is in line with our environmental strategy, which includes halving our greenhouse gas emission per passenger kilometre by 2020.”
Jean-Philippe Denruyter, WWF Global Bioenergy Coordinator, said “We welcome the aviation sector’s will to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, and appreciate their efforts to ensure the sustainability of their biofuels sourcing.”
All group members have subscribed to a sustainability pledge stipulating that any sustainable biofuel must perform as well as, or better than, kerosene-based fuel, but with a smaller carbon lifecycle. The user’s group pledged to consider only renewable fuel sources with minimal impact on the biosphere. This means fuels that require minimal land, water and energy to produce, and that don’t compete with food or fresh water resources. In addition, cultivation and harvest of plant stocks must provide socioeconomic value to the local communities.
The group has announced two initial sustainability research projects. Yale University’s School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, through funding provided by Boeing, will conduct the first peer-reviewed, comprehensive sustainability assessment of jatropha curcas, to include lifecycle CO2 emissions and the socio-economic impacts to farmers in developing nations.
Similarly, NRDC will conduct a comprehensive assessment of algae to ensure it meets the group’s stringent sustainability criteria.
Both species may potentially become part of a portfolio of biomass-based renewable fuel solutions that, through advanced fuel processing methodologies developed by energy sector leaders such as UOP, can help aviation diversify its fuel supply.
News Topics Related Posts :
Tags: Air New Zealand, All Nippon Airways, Aviation Fuel, Aviation Fuels, Aviation Sector, Commercial Aviation, Continental Airlines, Fuel Users, Greenhouse Gas Emission, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Japan Airlines, Leading Airlines, Natural Resources Defense Council, Price Volatility, Renewable Fuel Sources, Sas Group, Scandinavian Airlines, Sustainable Fuels, Virgin Atlantic Airways, World Wildlife Fund, World Wildlife Fund Wwf