Biofuels & novel fuels News
Below are links to stories about aviation biofuels.
IATA chief urges governments to adopt a six-step policy approach to promote aviation biofuels commercialisation
The DG of IATA says: “Oil is a scarce resource. The long-term price is upward – with volatility as a result of political and economic uncertainty,” he said and biofuels "are the industry’s long-term licence to grow". “While sustainable biofuels have the potential to help us in our environmental efforts, current costs are prohibitive.” He has called on governments to "Provide incentives for airlines to use biofuels" and "De-risk public and private investments in aviation biofuels". ie financial support from the public purse to assist the aviation industry.
Click here to view full story...
EU warned: biofuels will drive biodiversity loss
New research from the European Commission confirms that EU biofuel targets will speed up the rate of extinction of plants and animals. The EU has committed to halting biodiversity loss by 2020 – yet without reform, it’s biofuels policy will seriously undermine this. The indirect land use impacts would convert some 17,000 km2 of natural habitats to grow biofuels, none protected under EU legislation, with the transition to cropland decreasing species abundance by some 85%.
Click here to view full story...
Qantas, Solazyme and Solena to launch Australian biofuels flights in 2012
Qantas has announced that Australia’s first commercial flight powered by "sustainable" fuel will be in early 2012. Qantas has signed agreements with Solazyme (in the USA), which is working with algae-based aviation fuels, and Solena (in the USA), which is experimenting with waste-based fuels. Qantas hopes to improve fuel efficiency by 1.5% each year. Solarzyme's fuel is called Solajet, and they aim to scale its production up to commercial levels.
Click here to view full story...
United Airlines (Continental) biofuel flight on 7th Nov and Alaska Airlines on 9th Nov
The United flight is a Boeing 737-800 from Houston to Chicago, using 40% Solarzyme fuel, with allegedly "sustainable" biofuel of unknown composition. The Alaska Airlines' 1st commercial biofuel flight is Seattle to Washington. Alaska & its sister, Horizon Air, plan to fly 75 "selected" flights over the next few weeks using 20% fuel made from used cooking oil (a gimmick, as there is so little of the stuff) made by Dynamic Fuels. The fuel companies are in a race to scale up profitably.
Click here to view full story...
Indonesian palm oil industry pushing to double its output to provide 12% of all aviation biofuel
This is an article by the body that promotes Indonesian palm oil. So it is ludicrously biased in favour of using as much palm oil as possible, and to hell with the consequences. It hugely plays down environmental impacts of growing palm oil and talks about doubling existing palm oil growing in order to provide 1% of all aviation fuel by 2015. And then an extra 1% added each year, up to 12% when Indonesia grows double its current amount. And up to 50% "eventually".
Click here to view full story...
New study by Leicester University suggests EU biofuels are as carbon intensive as petrol
The new study was conducted for the International Council on Clean Transportation, an international think tank that wished to assess the greenhouse gas emissions associated with biodiesel production. Biodiesel mandates increase palm oil demand, and more is now being imported by the EU from Indonesia. The study found the scale of greenhouse gas emissions from oil palm plantations on peat is significantly higher than previously assumed.
Click here to view full story...
Gatwick chairman says aviation in ‘dialogue of the deaf’ with environmental groups
Sir David Rowlands, in a speech to the AOA criticised the industry's obsession with flaunting its green credentials via announcements about biofuel flights. He said airlines and airports are failing to engage with environmental groups. ‘What it does not mean is lone voices shouting 'hey – look at us we have just flown one of our aircraft on chip fat!' Just look at the reaction from environmental commentators to what has been happening with biofuels.’
Click here to view full story...
Air China test-flies 50% jatropha biofuel-powered Boeing 747
An Air China Boeing 747-400 took off from the Beijing airport, flew for 2 hours, and landed back at Beijing. It used 50% jatropha. This is one of a series of research projects launched last year by the US and China, the world's two biggest oil consumers. The fuel was developed by Boeing, Honeywell UOP, Chinese oil company PetroChina and Air China. They say a commercial biofuel should be available in three to five years.
Click here to view full story...
Boeing, Embraer enter Brazil jet-biofuel venture
Boeing Co and its Brazilian counterpart Embraer have joined forces with Brazilian Fapesp, to map out how best to expand the use of biofuels for jet engines from renewable sources such as sugar cane. They are aware of criticisms about biofuel not helping with global warming. They say they don't want feedstocks that are also food crops. A 9-month study will look at the potential feedstocks and their large-scale commercial challenges and advantages.
Click here to view full story...
Director of transport policy at BP sceptical about aviation biofuels
The air transport industry may be deluding itself if it believes biofuels are the panacea for carbon footprint reduction. High fuel costs as well as competing demand make it unlikely that biojet will deliver the promised CO2 reductions within a desired timeframe. It is unclear even how the targets for road transport biodiesel will be met. Many biofuels have a carbon footprint not much better than fossil fuels, even without indirect land use impact.