SPARC in the Engine: Florida Aims to Be an Alternative Jet Fuels Hub as New Public/Private Project Debuts
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Sometimes, what an engine needs to roar to life is a spark. Or a SPARC, as in this case. As in the Southeastern Partnership for Advanced Renewables from Carinata (SPARC), a consortium consisting of the University of Florida (lead), the University of South Florida, the University of Georgia, Auburn University, and other institutions, government agencies, the civil aviation industry, and Agrisoma Biosciences and Applied Research Associates (ARA) from the private sector.
This group has embarked on a $15M project to develop the inedible oilseed carinata as a winter crop — that is, a regionally adapted Brassica carinata, as the source of a new biofuels and bioproducts industry that will be deployed in the southeastern region of the United States.
The Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative is leading the supply chain development effort, which also includes ARA (conversion and co- products) and Agrisoma (feedstock and animal feed co -product) — and was key to the proposal’s success — having demonstrated its close ties with industry and customers (U.S. Navy) and their full engagement in the proposal, which requested a plan for aviation supply chain development.
For now, think jet fuel.
“Our goal is to commercialize Carinata to produce jet fuel and feed for livestock while mitigating risks along the entire supply chain,” says David Wright, project lead and an agronomy professor at the University of Florida.
Oil derived from the seeds of carinata will be converted to renewable aviation biofuel to replace fossil jet fuel, whereas the seed material will be the source of high value renewable chemicals and animal feed. This public-private partnership will lead to commercial development of a sustainable supply chain for carinata and its products and preparation of a green workforce for the new bioeconomy. READ MORE
Florida aims to become regional alternative jet fuels hub (Digital Journal)
