Tag Archives: biofuel for air travel

USAF flies F-22 Raptor on synthetic biofuel

March 20, 2011   Karl   No comments

F-22 Raptor flown on synthetic biofuel

An F-22 Raptor successfully flew at supercruise March 18 on a 50/50 (E50)  fuel blend of conventional petroleum-based JP-8 and biofuel derived from camelina, a weed-like plant not used for food.

The flight was the capstone of a series of ground and flight test events conducted by the 411th Flight Test Squadron at Edwards Air Force Base the week of March 14 for the Raptor using the biofuel blend. The Air Force selected the F-22 weapon system to be the biofuel blend flight test pathfinder for all fighter aircraft.

The overall test objective was to evaluate biofuel fuel blend suitability in the F-22 weapon system. Testing consisted of air starts, operability, and performance at different speeds and altitude throughout the flight envelope. The F-22 Raptor performed several maneuvers including a supercruise at 40,000 ft. reaching speeds of 1.5 Mach. Supercruise is supersonic flight without using the engine’s afterburner.

“The F-22 flew on Friday, March 18 and performed flawlessly on the biofuel blend citing no noticeable differences from traditional JP-8,” said Jeff Braun, director of the Alternative Fuels Certification Division, part of the Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

The overall flight was a success and another milestone completed for the Alternative Fuels Certification Division in support the Air Force’s 2016 acquisition goal to cost-competitively acquire 50 percent of the domestic aviation fuel requirement via alternative fuel blends in which the component is derived from domestic sources produced in a manner that is ‘greener’ than fuels produced from conventional petroleum.

The camelina-derived synthetic fuel falls into a class of hydro-processed blended biofuels known as hydrotreated renewable jet fuels, or “HRJs.” The HRJ fuel can be derived from a variety of plant oil and animal fat feedstocks.

Air Force officials in February certified the entire C-17 Globemaster III fleet for unrestricted flight operations using the HRJ biofuel blend.

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Biofuel As Aircraft Fuel Actively Being Considered In Germany

March 03, 2011   Karl   No comments

Biofuel As Aircraft Fuel Actively Being Considered In Germany

Airlines in Malaysia, which have been pioneering the development of biofuel, might be interested to know that German experts are “actively considering” the use of biofuel in aircraft.

Indeed, the subject of biofuel, for use in aircraft, has gained momentum.

This emerged at a crowded Cargo Climate Care Conference in Frankfurt on Tuesday organised by Lufthansa-Cargo, the world’s biggest cargo carrier, with the participation of internationally renowned experts on the subject.

Karl-Heinze Koepfle, Chairman of LH-Cargo said “environmental care” had always been “top priority” for the carrier.

“LH-Cargo did not back away from its responsibility to environment protection, even as we had the worst recession in post-war history, and did research and deploy lighter aircraft,” he added.

Joachim Buse, Vice President of Aviation Fuel at Deutsche Lufthansa, said the airline was conscious of the fact that biofuel, extracted from agricultural crops, could lead to food shortage and increased prices.

He referred to a plant cultivated in Mexico which could possibly be used as a source of fuel as it was neither consumed by humans or animals.

It’s use will not create any food shortage or affect consumption by humans.

“We do not want to become a competitor for the food sector,” said Buse, ading that the consumption of the plant would not create any food shortage.

Malaysia was involved in research projects to create fuel processed from palm fruit.

Buse also revealed that Lufthansa had applied to the German authorities to fly aircraft with biofuel.

“This would be the first time an aircraft would fly on the basis of biofuel.

“We will operate an A-123 aircraft on a six-month trial basis and thereafter review the situation.

“Six scientific institutes will be involved in closely monitoring the A123 flights with biofuel,” Buse said.

He also said the process of issuing a permit was in the “final stage”.

There is mounting public pressure on the airline to conserve the planet’s resources besides saving costs to develop alternative fuels.

Lufthansa-Cargo, which has been in the forefront of its energy-conservation drive, has also been encouraging young researchers and students at universities to work on alternative energy.

The carrier has also been encouraging young researchers and students to pursue their research on alternative forms of energy by offering them special awards for their contribution in environmental conservation.

At the Frankfurt conference, for instance, Lufthansa-Cargo gave out a “Young Reserchers” Award 2011 to a group of three engineering students from the Munich University for Applied Sciences.

Another award was given to an Austrian mechanical engineer for his work in the field of fatigue proof light-weight design, at the Montan University in Leoben, Austria.

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Quantas sign algae-based aviation fuel deal

February 14, 2011   Karl   No comments

Qantas inks Solazyme algae-based biofuel deal

Australian airline Qantas has signed a deal to investigate the use of the algae-based aviation fuel developed by US company Solazyme.

The bio-products company announced late last week it would be supplying Qantas with an unspecified amount of Solajet, its microbial derived aviation fuel. The deal further underlines the company’s position as a leading player in the embryonic green jet fuel sector and follows a US Navy order of 10,000 litres of 100 per cent algal-based jet fuel for testing in aircraft.
Solazyme, backed by Morgan Stanley and Chevron among others, uses algae to break down agricultural waste into algal oil that can then be tailored to produce jet fuel. It says the full lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions of this biodiesel are up to 93 per cent lower than standard diesel.
“Through this alliance, we intend to use Solazyme’s technology platform to help provide the Australian market with renewable aviation biofuel,” said Jonathan Wolfson, chief executive of Solazyme. “We also believe this alliance is a helpful step towards the commercialisation of Solajet.”
Qantas has been active in searching for low carbon products to meet the estimated six billion litre yearly demand for aviation fuel in Australia. For example, earlier this year the airline announced plans to build a commercial-scale biofuel plant near Sydney with US bioenergy firm Solena.
Alan Joyce, Qantas’ chief executive, said the deal with Solazyme not only aligned with the company’s strategy of developing cleaner jet fuels, but could build the case for biofuel production in Australia.
“The costs and environmental impacts associated with traditional jet fuel mean it is imperative that we push hard now for the commercialisation of alternative fuel sources,” Joyce said. “We want to be at the forefront of this growing sector, which is why we have chosen to engage the most innovative companies in the field, like Solazyme.”
“We believe this is important not just for Qantas but for the Australian economy as a whole, given the global emergence of green technologies and their potential to drive growth and create jobs.”
In related news, Boeing unveiled its new 747-8 Intercontinental passenger jet yesterday, which promises 16 per cent better fuel economy, 16 per cent fewer carbon emissions per passenger and a 30 per cent smaller noise footprint than the 747-400.
Lufthansa, Korea Air and VIP customers have purchased the first 33 models, which should come into service on long-haul flights next year.
“The new 747-8 Intercontinental will set a new standard in economic and environmental performance, while providing a world-class passenger experience,” said Pat Shanahan, vice president and general manager of airplane programs at Boeing.

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Finnair postpones introduction of biofuel

January 31, 2011   Karl   No comments
Finnair postpones introduction of biofuel

Finnair postpones introduction of biofuel

The Finnish state-owned airline Finnair has reversed an earlier decision to start using biofuel in some of its commercial flights this year.
Finnair was to have started to use kerosene produced by Neste Oil from biological sources as soon as certification is implemented. Now the airline is going back on its decision.
“The price of the fuel and its sustainability measured against all criteria is not at the level that we would have gone into it at this point. There are various research projects in progress, and it is in our interest to use a fuel produced from local raw materials”, says Kati Ihamäki, environmental director of Finnair.

One possible local source of biofuel would be the upcoming plant in Varkaus where Neste is studying the use of wood chips.
“An ideal situation would be for us to get biological kerosene produced from local raw materials, because there is no sense in hauling raw material from the other side of the world.”

Finnair is involved in a project that is taking place near London, where the use of algae as biofuel is being studied. That project is set to continue through 2014.
“We would have wanted to start commercial flights with biofuel now, but products that are currently available have not met our sustainability criteria”, Ihamäki says.

Biolofuels used by Neste come from certified sources, but they suffer from the same problems as other oil plants: although the plants that are used in fuel production are grown in areas where nothing else is cultivated, there is the danger that plantations might start encroaching on land that is used for food production.
Environmental organisations have taken a negative view of the use of fuel made out of palm oil, saying that rain forest are destroyed to make way for oil palm plantations. There is also overall criticism of the use of food oil as a transport fuel.

Price is also a consideration. Biological kerosene is significantly more expensive than fossil fuel, and fuel costs account for a quarter of Finnair’s overall operating costs.
“The problem is that products made of good raw materials and at a suitable price are not currently available”, Kati Ihamäki says.
She insists that pressure from environmental organisations had nothing to do with the decision.

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Air China to conduct transpacific biofuel test flight in 2011

January 31, 2011   Karl   No comments
Air China to conduct transpacific biofuel test flight in 2011

Air China to conduct transpacific biofuel test flight in 2011

Air China said Sunday it plans to operate a transpacific demonstration flight partially powered by biofuel in the second half of this year. CA is expected to use a Boeing 747 powered by Pratt & Whitney engines on the test flight, and the aircraft manufacturer has agreed to partner with the Beijing-based carrier to provide technical support.

PetroChina will provide jatropha-based feedstock for the project. The flight would follow a number of biofuel test flights conducted by airlines worldwide, including Air New Zealand, Continental Airlines, Japan Airlines and TAM

Lufthansa plans to launch the world’s first scheduled commercial passenger flights using biofuel in the first half of this year, with an IAE-V2500-powered Airbus A321

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Boeing to test China biofuels

October 18, 2010   Karl
Boeing to test China biofuel

Boeing to test China biofuels

Boeing Co., in cooperation with Air China Ltd. and others, plans to test a commercial-jet biofuel in China produced from a locally grown plant by the middle of 2011-part of an effort to commercialize cleaner fuels world-wide and bolster China’s potential as a biofuel provider.

Boeing first tested a biofuel on a Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747 jet in early 2008 in London. It has since conducted similar tests a few more times, each time experimenting with different types of biofuels on different engines. The China demonstration flight, expected to be conducted by May or June next year, would be Boeing’s sixth such demonstration flight using a biofuel, said a Boeing executive, Al Bryant, in an interview Monday with The Wall Street Journal.

The biofuel to be used in the scheduled test flight is one based on jatropha, a thorny wild green shrub that grows well on a wide range of terrains in hot climates such as Latin America and Africa. It is expected to be supplied by Chinese oil company PetroChina Co., which grows jatropha in southern China for aviation use, said Bryant, vice president of research and technology at Boeing’s China operations.

“It’s harvested here and processed here, and we test it with an airplane operated by a Chinese airline and is going to be flown here in China,” the executive said. “This flight is going to demonstrate that China has the ability to create a new biofuel industry here in China.”

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Algae power reaches for the sky

October 13, 2010   Karl

British Airways and Airbus are supporting a project at the UK's Cranfield University to investigate ways of harvesting algae for jet fuel in commercial quantities.

Air travel could be powered from vast seas of algae growing close to airports within four years, according to researchers and airlines hoping to find a green future for aviation.

Industry giants including British Airways and Airbus are supporting a project at the UK’s Cranfield University to investigate ways of harvesting algae for jet fuel in commercial quantities.

The project gets underway as 1,500 delegates from governments and the aviation industry leave Montreal after the triennial conference of the International Civil Aviation Organization, which finished on October 8.

Targets to improve fuel efficiency up until 2050 were agreed at the conference, but many believe the organization is moving too slowly.

Steven Tebbe, a consultant advising the industry on improving its green credentials, pointed out that the best airlines are improving their fuel efficiency by around 1.5 percent a year, but the aviation industry as a whole is growing by 4 to 5 percent a year.

Other measures, including alternative low carbon fuels and economic incentives will be needed make air travel greener, he said.

The key to sustainability is not putting all your eggs in one basket.
–Professor Feargal Brennan, Cranfield University

Researchers at Cranfield argue that algae present a better option than other bio fuels because they do not compete with land for food production.

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