Aviation Biofuel Takes Flight

By Zoe Martin (Iowa Farmer Today) After years of research, biofuels in the aviation industry are almost ready for take off.
The requirements to replace jet fuel at 40,000 feet present a challenge, but airplane manufacturers such as Boeing have set goals for sustainable air travel by the end of the decade.
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You couldn’t grow enough corn in the world to supply enough fuel for all the cars and planes, but we can sure augment it,” said Greif, who farms near Prairieburg.
There are special considerations for aviation biofuels. Small piston-engine planes burn gasoline. Large commercial airliners burn jet fuel.
But, it’s a matter of figuring out whether new fuels will survive the altitude. As you go up, the temperature goes down drastically — to about 80 degrees below 0.
“You go up to 40,000 feet, and diesel fuel turns into lard,” Grief said.
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Technology to enable ethanol use in planes is still about three to five years out, Greif predicted. Renewable diesel for aviation is here. Several commercial test flights are running blends of biofuel and jet fuel.
“We have made great progress in less than a decade, but it will be a long journey to create an entirely new fuel supply for aviation,” said Jessica Kowal with Boeing’s environment policy communications team.
The industry has had the most success with green diesel, chemically different from biodiesel but manufactured from some of the same fat and oil sources... READ MORE