8 Trends Driving Aviation Biofuels Today
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) … SkyNRG is undertaking its first major feedstock project in South Africa, featuring a nicotine-free energy tobacco crop that’s developed by Sunchem under the name of Solaris.
Which is an excellent reminder of how much activity is going on in aviation biofuels to solve the cost and supply chain challenges that stand between aviation and sustainable, affordable fuels. Let’s look at the 8 key drivers.
1. Feedstock development
Tobacco …
Agave
In June, Byogy Renewables revealed a strategic partnership with AusAgave Australia, aimed at developing multiple feedstocks to develop low cost sugars for the production of renewable fuels and chemicals. …
2. Major projects starting to flow
Last month, UOP announced that its green fuels process technology has been selected by Petrixo Oil & Gas to produce renewable jet fuel and renewable diesel at a new refinery to be built in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates.
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In April, British Airways and Solena Fuels said they they chose Thurrock, Essex for its MSW-to-aviation biofuels project that will produce 120,000 metric tons of fuel annually from 2017.
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3. BRICSA expansion
Brazil
Last November, Boeing and GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes said they will work together to speed the research, development and approval of new sources of sustainable aviation biofuel in Brazil.
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Russia
Last September, Airbus and RT-Biotechprom have signed an agreement to make aviation biofuel from Russian sources, planning to have results by the end of 2014.
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India
Last November, Solena Fuels revealed discussions with city authorities in Chennai to use the city’s 5,000 tons of MSW per day to produce 120 million liters of aviation biofuel and 45 million liters of diesel per year.
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China
In February, the Civil Aviation Administration of China granted Sinopec Chinese Technical Standard Order Authorization (CTSOA) for aviation biofuels, certifying that the fuel has met all required industry standards.
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4. New pathways
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5. Processing technology costs dropping
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6. The pursuit of 100% drop-ins
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7. Higher-energy jet fuels
Much has been written about terpenes in the area of flavors and fragrances. But they have astonishing properties for super high-density jet fuels in the 130,000-140,000 BTU range. And there are even more interesting molecules out there. Here are nine.
… valencene, premnaspirodiene, and b-caryophyllene … tetrahydrodicyclopentadiene, or exo-THDCP (rocket fuel) …Neoclavane … perhydroinorbornadiene … Octanonitrocubane … dodecanitrohexaprismane (DNH) and hexanitrohexaazaprismane (HNHAH)
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8. The electric sky
… The report (Boeing’s annual Environment Report) also detailed the company’s plan to launch two new fuel-efficient airplanes – the 777X and 787-10 – and building the world’s first all-electric propulsion satellite. READ MORE
