Boeing, Air New Zealand and Rolls-Royce Plan Jet Biofuel Demonstration Flight

A demonstration flight to show the viability of using biofuel to power jet airplane engines is in the planning stages and is expected to take place during the second half of 2008, according to Boeing, Air New Zealand and Rolls-Royce, which have joined forces for the demonstration.

The demonstration flight—which will use a Boeing 747-400 jet airplane owned by Air New Zealand and equipped with Rolls-Royce engines—is designed to help accelerate development of sustainable alternative fuels for commercial aviation, according to the three companies.
_{Photo by Air New Zealand/Getty Images}

The Economic and Environmental Benefits of Jet Biofuel
The aviation industry has been the target of increasing concern and criticism worldwide because of its contribution to global warming and the disproportionate amount of greenhouse gases emitted by jet engines for every passenger flown. In addition to environmental concerns, airlines and aircraft manufacturers are also worried about economics. In 2006, U.S. aviation fuel costs exceeded labor costs for the first time. The U.S. commerical aviation industry uses millions of gallons of jet fuel daily, and fuel costs are continuing to rise at a time when many airlines are struggling to stay solvent.

Biofuels offer a relatively low-cost alternative to traditional jet fuel, and one that is also better for the environment.

Searching the Globe for Suitable Jet Biofuels
Boeing officials are contacting fuel providers worldwide to identify biofuels that can meet stringent commercial aviation requirements, and are available in quantities large enough for laboratory and jet engine performance testing.

"Our near-term goal in this pioneering effort is to identify sustainable alternative bio-jet fuel sources for the planes that are flying today," said Craig Saddler, president of Boeing Australia. “A significant first step is identifying progressive fuel sources that will provide better economic and environmental performance for air carriers, without any change to aircraft engines or the aviation fuel infrastructure."

Boeing and its partners in the project are focusing on second-generation biofuel feedstocks and processes that can be blended with traditional kerosene jet fuel to reduce petroleum dependency and have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions throughout their lifecycle. Unlike ethanol and some other biofuels, second-generation biofuel feedstocks, such as agriculture and forestry waste, do not siphon resources from the global food supply.