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''''Aviation biofuel''' is a [[biofuel]] used for [[aircraft]]. Boeing estimates that biofuels could reduce flight-related greenhouse-gas emissions by 60 to 80 percent. The solution would be blending [[algae fuel]]s with existing jet fuel.<ref name="boe_energy">{{cite web|author=Ángel González|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/boeingaerospace/2003858756_boeingenergy30.html|title=To go green in jet fuel, Boeing looks at algae|work=The Seattle Times|date=2007-08-30|accessdate=2009-01-27}}</ref> ==Rationale== Aviation's share of the greenhouse gas emissions is poised to grow, as air travel increases and ground vehicles use more alternative fuels like ethanol and biodiesel. Currently aviation represents 2% of global emissions, but is expected to grow to 3% by 2050. <ref>[http://www.ipcc.ch/ipccreports/sres/aviation/126.htm] IPCC Special Report on Aviation Global Emissions, 1999.</ref> In addition to build more fuel efficient aircraft and operating them more efficiently, changing the fuel source is one of the few options the aviation industry has for reducing its carbon footprint. While solar, electric and hydrogen propelled aircraft are being researched, it is not expected they will be feasible in the near or medium term due to aviation's need for high [[power-to-weight ratio]] and globally compatible infrastructure. ==Industry commitments and collaborations== The [[International Air Transport Association]] (IATA) supports research, development and deployment of alternative fuels. IATA thinks a 6% share of sustainable 2nd generation biofuels is achievable by 2020<ref>[http://www.iata.org/pressroom/facts_figures/fact_sheets/Pages/alt-fuels.aspx 'IATA Fact Sheet: Alternative Fuels']</ref>, and Boeing supports a target of 1% of global aviation fuels by 2015.<ref>[http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-07-22/commercial-airlines-may-get-1-of-fuel-from-biofuels-by-2015-boeing-says.html]</ref> This is in support of the goals of the aviation industry reaching carbon neutral growth by 2020 and a 50% decrease in carbon emissions by 2050 (relative to a 2005 baseline)<ref>[http://www.iata.org/pressroom/pr/Pages/2009-06-08-03.aspx]</ref> A group of interested airlines has formed the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group ([[SAFUG]]). The group was formed in 2008 in cooperation with support from NGOs such as [[Natural Resources Defense Council]] and [[The Round Table For Sustainable Biofuels]] (RSB). Member airlines represent more than 15% of the industry, and all member CEOs have signed a pledge to work on the development and use of [[sustainable biofuels]] for aviation.<ref>[http://www.safug.org/information/pledge/]</ref> [[Boeing]] executives said the company is informally collaborating with leading Brazilian biofuels maker [[Tecbio]], [[Aquaflow Bionomic]] of New Zealand and other fuel developers around the world. So far, Boeing has tested six fuels from these companies, and will probably have gone through 20 fuels "by the time we're done evaluating them."<ref name="boe_energy"/> Boeing is joining other aviation-related members in the [[Algal Biomass Organization]] (ABO).<ref>[http://www.greencarcongress.com/2008/06/first-airlines.html First Airlines and UOP Join Algal Biomass Organization], Green Car Congress, 19 June 2008.</ref> ==Production routes and sources== Deriving jet fuel from bio-based sources is [[ASTM]] approved via two routes. ===Bio-SPK=== The first route involves using oil which is extracted from plant sources like [[jatropha]], [[algae]], [[tallows]] and other waste oils, [[Babassu oil|Babassu]] and [[camelina]] to produce bio-SPK (Bio derived synthetic paraffinic Kerosene) by cracking and hydro-processing. ===FT-SPK=== The second route involves processing solid [[biomass]] using [[pyrolysis]] to produce [[pyrolysis oil]] or [[gassification]] to produce a [[syngas]] which is then prossessed into FT SPK ([[Fischer–Tropsch process|Fischer–Tropsch]] Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene). ===Future production routes=== Further research is being done on an [[alchol-to-jet]] pathway where alcohols such as [[ethanol]] or [[butanol]] are de-oxygenated and processed into jet fuels. In addition, routes that use synthetic biology to directly create hydro-carbons are being research. ==Commercial and demonstration flights== Since 2008, a large number of test flights have been conducted, and since ASTM approval in July of 2011,<ref>[http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-07-01/airlines-win-approval-to-use-plant-based-biofuels-on-commercial-flights.html]</ref> several commercial flights with passengers have also occurred. ===Demonstration flights=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Date !! Operator !! Platform !! Biofuel |- | Feb 2008 || [[Virgin Atlantic]] || [[Boeing 747]] || Coconut and Babassu |- | Dec 2008 || [[Air New Zealand]] || Boeing aircraft || [[Jatropha]] |- | Jan 2009 || [[United-Continental]] || Boeing aircraft || [[Algae]] and [[jatropha]] |- | Jan 2009 || [[JAL]] || Boeing Aircraft || [[Camelina]], [[jatropha]] and [[algae] |- | Apr 2010 || US Navy || F/A-18 || [[Camelina]] |- | Jun 2010 || Dutch Military || Ah-64 Apache Helicopter || [[Waste cooking oil]] |- | Jun 2011 || Boeing || Boeing 747-8F || [[Camelina]] |} In the effort to develop an aviation biofuel, [[Air New Zealand]] and Boeing are researching the [[jatropha]] plant to see if it is a sustainable alternative to conventional fuel.<ref>[http://www.carbonpositive.net/viewarticle.aspx?articleID=1114 Air NZ sees biofuel salvation in jatropha].</ref> A two-hour test flight using a 50-50 mixture of the new biofuel with [[Jet fuel|Jet A-1]] in the number one position Rolls Royce RB-211 engine of 747-400 ZK-NBS, was successfully completed on 30 December 2008. The engine was then removed to be scrutinised and studied to identify any differences between the Jatropha blend and regular Jet A1. No effects to performances were found. On January 8, 2009, [[Continental Airlines]] ran the first test for the first flight of an algae-fueled jet. The test was done using a twin-engine commercial jet with one engine consuming a 50/50 blend of biofuel and normal aircraft fuel. It was the first flight by a U.S. carrier to use an alternative fuel source on this specific type of aircraft. The flight from Houston's [[George Bush Intercontinental Airport]] completed a circuit over the Gulf of Mexico. The pilots on board executed a series of tests at {{convert|38000|ft}}, including a mid-flight engine shutdown. [[Larry Kellner]], chief executive of Continental Airlines, said they had tested a drop-in fuel which meant that no modification to the engine was required. The fuel was praised for having a low flash point and sufficiently low freezing point, issues that have been problematic for other bio-fuels.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/blog2/2009/01/08/continental-airlines-tests-aviation-biofuel-first-use-of-algae-first-us-biofuel-test-flight-first-two-engine-flight/|title=Continental Airlines tests aviation biofuel; first use of algae; first US biofuel test flight; first two-engine flight|last=Lane|first=Jim|date=2009-01-08|publisher=Biofuels Digest|accessdate=2009-09-20}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | title =First flight of algae-fuelled jet | publisher=[[BBC]] | date=2009-01-08 | accessdate=2009-01-09}}</ref> [[Japan Airlines]] conducted a one and a half hour flight with one engine burning a 50/50 mix of [[Jet-A]] and biofuel from the ''[[Camelina]]'' plant.<ref>http://press.jal.co.jp/en/release/200901/001108.html</ref> The United States Navy is planning to use biofuel from the ''Camelina'' plant for their F/A-18 testing.<ref>http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=47405</ref> On March 25, 2010, the United States Air Force conducted the first flight of an aircraft with all engines powered by a biofuel blend. The flight, performed on an [[Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II|A-10]] at Eglin Air Force Base, used a 50/50 blend of [[JP-8]] and [[Camelina]]-based fuel.<ref>http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123197415</ref> The world’s first public flight of an aircraft with an engine powered solely by algae-derived biofuel occurred at an [[air show]] in [[Berlin]] in June 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_generic.jsp?topicName=ila_2010&id=news/awx/2010/06/07/awx_06_07_2010_p0-232525.xml&headline=EADS%20Sets%20First%20Public%20Algae-Biofuel%20Flight%20At%20ILA%20Berlin|title=EADS Sets First Public Algae-Biofuel Flight At ILA Berlin|last=Morris|first=John|date=2010-06-07|publisher=Aviation Week|accessdate=2010-07-12}}</ref> Moving closer to achieving the objective of decreasing its need for petroleum-based fuels, the US Navy flew an MH-60S Seahawk on a 50⁄50 biofuel blend Nov. 18 in Patuxent River, Md. The helicopter, from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 21 at Naval Air Station Patuxent River tested a fuel mixture made from the Camelina seed. Earlier this year, the Navy tested this biofuel blend on the F⁄A-18 Super Hornet aka "Green Hornet". Results from those tests indicated the aircraft performed as expected through its full flight envelope with no degradation of capability. The flight is another step toward the certification of fuels from non-petroleum sources for use in all Navy and Marine Corps aircraft. Testing will continue across additional aircraft models in 2011 with a target of approving the 50/50 biofuel blend for use in the Navy ships and aircraft by early 2012. <ref>http://www.dcmilitary.com/stories/120210/tester_28256.shtml</ref> ==Algae jet fuel== {{See also|Algae fuel}} Production of algae jet fuel is an [[emerging technology]]. [[Jet fuel]] is a mixture of a large number of different [[hydrocarbon]]s. The range of their sizes ([[molecular weight]]s or carbon numbers) is restricted by the requirements for the product, for example, [[freezing point]] or [[smoke point]]. Jet fuels are sometimes classified as [[Kerosene jet fuel|kerosene]] or [[naphtha]]-type. Kerosene-type fuels include Jet A, Jet A-1, JP-5 and JP-8. Naphtha-type jet fuels, sometimes referred to as "wide-cut" jet fuel, include Jet B and JP-4. Companies working on algae jet fuel are: [[Solazyme]], Honeywell UOP, Solena, [[Sapphire Energy]], [[Imperium Renewables]], [[Aquaflow Bionomic Corporation]] Universities working on algae jet fuel are: [[Arizona State University]], [[Cranfield University]] Major investors for algae based SPK research are: [[Boeing]], [[Honeywell]]/[[UOP LLC|UOP]], [[Air New Zealand]] (ANZ), [[Continental Airlines]] (CAL), [[Japan Airlines]] (JAL), [[General Electric]]. ==See also== *[[Aviation and the environment]] *[[Environmental effects of biodiesel]] ==References== {{Reflist|2}} http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=52768 ==Further reading== *{{cite web|url=http://www-org.airbus.com/store/mm_repository/pdf/att00014178/media_object_file_BeginnersGuide_Biofuels.pdf|title=Beginner’s Guide to Aviation Biofuels|date=May 2009|publisher=Air Transport Action Group|accessdate=2009-09-20}} ==External links== *[http://www.airbus.com/innovation/eco-efficiency/operations/alternative-fuels/ Airbus] - ''Alternative fuels'' *[http://boeing.com/aboutus/environment/environment_report_10/3_biofuels_pg_2.html Boeing] - 2010 Environment report ''Sustainable Biofuels'' *[http://www.iata.org/pressroom/facts_figures/fact_sheets/Pages/alt-fuels.aspx International Air Transport Association] - ''Fact Sheet: Alternative Fuels'' *[http://www.enviro.aero/SustainableBiofuels.aspx www.enviro.aero (Air Transport Action Group)] - ''Sustainable biofuels'' * [[Appropedia:Air_travel,_climate_change,_and_green_consumerism|Air travel, climate change, and green consumerism]] *[http://www.aef.org.uk/?category_name=biofuel Aviation Environment Federation - Biofuel] [[Category:Algae biofuels]] [[Category:Aviation and the environment]] [[Category:Biofuels]] [[Category:Aviation fuels]]'