As the new year begins and crude prices continue on the low side but slowly on the rise, some are speculating once again the viability of biofuels. In 2008, alternative energies and fuels as well as environmentally friendly and efficient were the buzz words, but there are whispers of concern from some now that perhaps with the lower crude prices, alternative investment and usage may not be as big a priority as it once was.

The airline industry, however, is moving forward with its proposals to research alternative fuels and is putting biofuels to the test. Air New Zealand was the last in 2008 to make a flight with its successful late-December launch powered in part by vegetable oil. One engine was fueled with 50-50 blend of oil from jatropha plants and standard A1 jet fuel.

Continental kicks off 2009

Continental Airlines yesterday completed the first North American commercial carrier test flight using a biofuel blend that includes components deriving from algae and jatropha plants. These sustainable second-generation sources neither impact food crops, nor water resources nor contribute to deforestation, all of which have been points of contention with various organizations from farmers to environmentalists.

“This demonstration flight represents another step in Continental’s ongoing commitment to fuel efficiency and environmental responsibility,” said Continental Airlines Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Larry Kellner in a news release. “The technical knowledge we gain today will contribute to a wider understanding of the future for transportation fuels.”

Although the trip (the first of its kind to use a fuel partially derived from algae) was “experimental” and carried no passengers, it was a successful two-hour roundtrip flight from Houston’s George W. Bush Intercontinental Airport. The test was designed to emulate actual trip in-flight handling, such as power acceleration and deceleration, as well as rare maneuvers, including mid-flight shut engine shutdown and re-start.

“With our proven technology and the commitment of aviation leaders like Continental and Boeing, sustainable biofuels for aviation are a real near-term option. We believe that production levels could reach hundreds of million of gallons per year by 2012,” said Eric Bachelet, president and chief executive officer of CFM International in the same release.

One of the goals of increased biofuels use in the airline industry is to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, a contributor of greenhouse gases.

Other airlines follow suit

Japan Airlines is planning a one-hour, passenger-less flight demonstration out of Haneda Airport, Tokyo, at the end of January using a sustainable biofuel component comprised of three second-generation biofuel feedstocks (camelina, 84%; jatropha, less than 16%; and algae, less than 1%).

Qatar Airways, based in Doha, is researching the benefits of using gas-to-liquids, which would make it the first airline to be powered by gas-based fuel. The airline has been joined by Qatar Petroleum, Shell, Airbus, Rolls Royce, Qatar Science and Technology Park and Woqod (Qatar Fuel Co.) to conduct a study during the next few years to analyze the pros of using synthetic jet fuels.

Virgin Atlantic in February 2008  tested a biofuels flight from London to Amsterdam by using a mix of coconut and babassu oil in one of its four main fuel tanks. Pilots and technicians were on that flight, but no passengers.

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 8th, 2009 at 7:09 pm and is filed under Transportation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.