Honeywell Green Jet Fuel Used On Qantas Flight From U.S. To Australia

Qantas Airlines operated a 7,000 nm flight from Los Angeles to Melbourne, Australia using Honeywell Green Jet Fuel. The flight was the first between the U.S. and Australia to use this fuel, which was manufactured from Carinata seeds engineered by Agrisoma Biosciences.

Fuel for the flight was produced by AltAir Paramount LLC using Honeywell UOP's Renewable Jet Fuel process technology, which converts non-edible animal fats and oils into renewable fuels. The Carinata seeds used for the fuel are a non-edible industrial mustard seed. They are pressed and yield half their weight in oils that are then refined into jet fuel.

"Honeywell Green Jet Fuel can replace as much as half of the petroleum jet fuel used in flight, without any changes to the aircraft technology, and still meet ASTM specifications," said Dave Cepla, senior director of Honeywell UOP's Renewable Energy & Chemicals business. "Depending on the feedstock, this fuel can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 65 to 85 percent versus petroleum jet fuel."

Qantas established a partnership with Agrisoma to promote Carinata as a crop for Australian farmers, specifically as a renewable feedstock for making commercial aviation biofuel. The first such commercial seed crop is expected to harvest in 2020.

"Farmers can grow Carinata with the same equipment as wheat and canola, and it can be grown in the off-season to replenish field nutrients," said Steve Fabijanski President and CEO of Agrisoma. "And while they produce a high oil content, the meal that remains after the oil extraction is an excellent high-protein feed for livestock."

AltAir, which converted the Carinata oil into jet fuel, operates the world's first commercial-scale renewable jet fuel plant at the AltAir Paramount refinery in Paramount, Calif. The plant produces 35 million gallons per year of renewable fuels, including Honeywell Green Jet Fuel, using Honeywell's UOP Renewable Jet Fuel process, which produces fuels that are chemically identical to petroleum-based fuels.

(Source: Honeywell news release. Image from file)

FMI: www.honeywell.com