A Few Questions for Honeywell's Jim Rekoske on Biojet

by Beth Evans (The Barrel) Two significant events this summer should help boost commercial production of bio-based jet fuel: the approval of a new fuel standard and the recent completion of a successful first trans-Atlantic flight.

In July, international standards developer ASTM gave a final nod to a new jet standard for hydroprocessed renewable jet fuel. The standard backs the use of up to a 50% blend of petroleum-based jet and biomass-based jet from feedstocks such as camelina, jatropha or algae. Hydroprocessed biojet goes through virtually the same process petroleum refineries use, creating a drop-in form of fuel that Honeywell UOP used recently in a flight from New Jersey to France for the Paris Air Show.

When it touched down at Paris-Le Bourget Airport early June 18, the Gulfstream G450 business jet became the first aircraft to fly from North America to Europe on biofuel, according to Honeywell.

Rekoske, vice president and general manager of renewable energy for Honeywell UOP, took time out from his schedule to answer a few questions via email:

JR: As we have seen in some of our other demo flights, the pilots observed that the engine with the biofuel actually burned about 20 gallons less fuel in flight. Other than this and the 5.5 metric tons of net carbon emission savings, the engine performed exactly as it should, and that is exactly what we wanted.

...Platts: Does ASTM approval of hydroprocessed biojet mean petroleum refiners could get more actively involved in making biojet?

JR: Absolutely. For a while now we've been stalled as refiners were not willing to invest the capital to move forward until the fuels were cleared for use and they were confident that the aviation community would accept HRJ fuels. Now the fuels are approved for use and there is clear demand for these fuels from commercial airlines, private aviation and the military. We are working with a number of interested parties including large refineries down to smaller independent operations. There is nothing that we can announce today, but believe that it is only a matter of time before we begin moving forward with commercial-scale projects.

Platts: What is the cost difference to produce, and for airline companies to buy, Honeywell Green Jet Fuel versus petroleum-based jet?

JR: Today aviation biofuels do cost more than petroleum-based fuels. This is because the cost of feedstocks such as algae, camelina, jatropha and tallow cost more than crude. READ MORE