Alaska Airlines Completes First Commercial Flight Using Biofuel

On November 14,  Alaska Airlines flew a Boeing 737-800 airliner from Seattle to Washington, DC using jet fuel that contained 20% biofuel made from forest residuals — the limbs and branches that remain after the harvesting of managed forests. The conversion process is the result of research conducted at Washington State University as part of the Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance.

Chemically, the biofuel is indistinguishable from conventional Jet A fuel derived from petroleum. The forest residual feedstock used to power Alaska Airlines Flight 4 was sourced from tribal lands and private forestry operations in the Pacific Northwest.

“This latest milestone in Alaska’s efforts to promote sustainable biofuels is especially exciting since it is uniquely sourced from the forest residuals in the Pacific Northwest,” said Joe Sprague, Alaska Airlines’ senior vice president of communications and external relations. “NARA’s accomplishments and the investment of the U.S. Department of Agriculture provide another key in helping Alaska Airlines and the aviation industry reduce its carbon footprint and dependency on fossil fuels.”

The 1,080 gallons of biofuel used on the cross country flight had a minimal impact on Alaska Airlines’ overall greenhouse gas emissions. But if the airline were able to replace 20% of its entire fuel supply at Sea-Tac Airport, it would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 142,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide. That’s equivalent to removing about 30,000 passenger vehicles from the roadways for one year.

NARA is a five-year project that launched in 2011 and is comprised of 32 member organizations from industry, academia and government laboratories. Today’s flight represents its efforts to develop alternative jet fuel derived from post-harvest forestry material that is often burned after timber harvest.

The NARA initiative was made possible by a $39.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to support research on biofuels and biochemicals, foster regional supply chain coalitions, empower rural economic development and educate the public on the benefits of bioenergy. That is precisely the kind of research that will likely be eliminated by our new climate denier in chief, Donald Trump. Thank you, American voters.

“Today’s flight comes after years of investments to help the aviation biofuels industry take off,” said U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell. “By creating these sustainable biofuels, we will revitalize our rural agricultural communities, foster economic growth, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and cut our dependence on foreign oil while growing our competitiveness in global markets.” After January 20, you can kiss any further efforts in that direction goodbye, Senator.

Source: Washington State University

Neste Oil sells first batch of NExBTL renewable diesel to the US market

Neste Oil recently supplied its first batch of NExBTL renewable diesel to the US market. The fuel, which qualifies as an advanced biofuel in the US, was produced at the company’s Porvoo refinery in Finland from waste fats. Neste Oil has sold 305,000 tons of NExBTL renewable diesel to several dozens of customers in more than ten countries during the first quarter of 2012.

We are very pleased to see that legislation on renewable fuels and our ability to meet the import regulations for these types of fuels are progressing in various markets. Our entry into the US renewable fuel market is an important milestone for us, as the US represents a major market for premium-quality biofuels. We are also proud of our contribution to the US Renewable Fuel Standard. The RFS regulation enables and encourages the reduction of greenhouse gases and diversification of the US fuel supply. NExBTL renewable diesel is an ideal low-carbon fuel for the US market as it is completely fungible with the existing extensive infrastructure—and is accepted within the existing refinery and pipeline distribution system.

In addition to the US, we have also expanded our customer base in Europe as well, opening up new opportunities for NExBTL sales as we go forward.

—Matti Lehmus, Neste Oil’s Executive Vice President, Oil Products and Renewables

Qantas to operate Australia’s first commercial biofuel flights

Qantas will operate Australia’s first commercial flights powered by sustainable aviation fuel on 13 April 2012. The flights, a Sydney-Adelaide return service operated by an Airbus A330, will be powered by a biofuel derived from used cooking oil (split 50:50 with conventional jet fuel). Produced by SkyNRG, the fuel has been fully certified for use in commercial aviation.

The fuel’s life cycle carbon footprint is around 60% smaller than that of conventional jet fuel.

A 2011 study by the CSIRO, endorsed by major aviation businesses, found that an Australian sustainable aviation fuel industry is feasible and, over the next 20 years, could generate more than 12,000 jobs and decrease greenhouse gas emissions by 17% in the aviation sector. However, it also identified significant obstacles that must be overcome.

Qantas’ Head of Environment, John Valastro, said the goal of the flights was to raise awareness about the potential for sustainable aviation fuel in Australia.

We know that sustainable aviation fuel can be used in commercial aviation just like conventional jet fuel. But until it is produced at a commercial scale, at a competitive price, the industry will not be able to realize its true benefits. No single player can make this happen: it needs support from government, private sector investment, access to infrastructure and market demand.

Over recent months Qantas has been in discussions with government and industry partners about taking the next step—producing a clear blueprint for the establishment of an Australian sustainable aviation fuel industry. This needs to focus not on speculative technologies but on biofuels that are operationally feasible now, production of which could commence within the next few years—given the right conditions. We hope to accelerate the process in the coming weeks as we build towards this Australian-first flight.

—John Valastro

QF1121 will depart Sydney at 10:20am on 13 April, arriving in Adelaide at 12:05pm. The return flight, QF1120, will depart Adelaide at 1:35pm, arriving in Sydney at 4:00pm.

Customers will be able to book seats on this service as they would on any other Qantas service. They will be notified at the time of booking that the flight will be powered by sustainable aviation fuel.