Abu Dhabi Institute Aiming to Produce Aviation Fuel from Plants

(Biofuels International) Scientists at the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology have acquired 200 hectares of coastal land in the Western Region to set up a demonstration farm with aims to start producing sustainable jet fuel from plants.
The Integrated Seawater Energy and Agriculture System Project plans to be 100% sustainable once operational, using aquaculture to eventually produce biofuels.
The AED64.2 million (€12.6 million)-venture involves pumping seawater to an aquaculture farm where fish and shrimp are grown. The wastewater from these ponds will then be used to irrigate fields of salt-tolerant plants, such as salicornia and local halophytes. From there, the water will drain from the fields into mangroves that will be used as biomass.
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'Salicornia produces long, finger-type vegetables that inside contain small seeds,' he adds. 'They have high oil content. Once you crush them you get vegetable oil that can be refined into biosynthetic kerosene, which is commercial fuel for aviation.'
So far, he says, Etihad Airways has used the fuel as a one-off experiment on one of their cargo planes from Seattle to Abu Dhabi. READ MORE and MORE (Automotive Industries)