EADS Showcasing Alternate Fuel By Flying Daily
Demonstrations
The world’s first flights of
an aircraft powered by pure biofuel made from algae are happening
this week at the ILA 2010 in Berlin. EADS is using a Diamond
Aircraft DA42 New Generation powered by two Austro Engine AE300
engines for the daily flight demonstrations.
EADS says the higher energy content of the algae biofuel means
the fuel consumption of the aircraft is about 0.4 gallons per
hour lower when compared to conventional JET-A1 fuel, but the
engine performance is unaffected. Tests also proved that only
relatively minor modifications and adjustments had to be made to
the aircraft’s engines to qualify the biofuel from algae for
the demonstration flights.
Diamond DA42 Austro Engine File Photo
Algae are considered to be promising potential feedstock for
biofuels, as certain species of algae contain high amounts of oil.
This oil can be extracted, processed and refined for various uses.
Grown for many years on a commercial basis for the development of
products such as food supplements and cosmetics, microalgae have
now emerged as one of the leading sources for alternative fuels.
Microalgae reproduce rapidly and create at least 30 times more
organic substance (biomass) per cultivation area than, for example,
rapeseed. Their cultivation does not compete with food production.
Algae can be grown on poor quality land using non potable or
saltwater.
“Our pure bio fuel flight from algae is a world
first,” says Dr. Jean Botti, Chief Technical Officer (CTO) of
EADS. “This opens up the feasibility of carbon-neutral
flights and we will continue to focus our research in this exciting
area. Third generation biofuels are more than just a replacement
for fossil petroleum - they push the possibilities of future
propulsion.”
The exhaust gas quality measurements indicate that biofuel from
algae contains eight times less hydrocarbons than kerosene derived
from crude oil. In addition, nitrogen oxide and sulfur oxide
emissions will also be reduced (up to 40 percent less nitrogen
oxides and ca. 10 ppm sulfur oxides vs. 600 ppm of conventional
Jet-A1-fuel) due to the very low nitrogen and sulfur content of the
biofuel compared to fossil fuel.
Algae can be produced in sufficiently large quantities without
competing with food production for fertile land or potable water.
EADS research shows that all necessary technologies to develop the
production of biofuel from algae are known, but industrial size and
economy require further development. EADS is working with partners
towards a pilot project to develop the necessary industrial
infrastructure. The project is led by EADS Innovation Works, the
corporate research and technology network of EADS and supported by
the Bavarian Ministry of Economics, Transportation and Technology
through the Government of Upper Bavaria with funding from the
Bavarian aerospace research and technology program (Project Bay68
“Biofuel from Algae”). The project is carried out in
partnership with IGV GmbH of Potsdam, Diamond Aircraft and Austro
Engines of Austria. The algae oil for flight testing and
demonstration flights was delivered by Biocombustibles del Chubut
S.A. in Argentina and refined into biofuel by VTS Verfahrenstechnik
Schwedt, Germany.
Currently it is significantly more expensive to produce oil from
algae in comparison to sourcing crude oil. If algae-based fuel is
to be able to compete with kerosene, research and development work
must aim to establish a cost effective mass production of algae
biofuels using industrial quantities of carbon dioxide.
“As a systems architect of aircraft and helicopters, we
consider that it is our responsibility to foster research on
biofuels, even if we are not directly involved in the energy
business”, says EADS CTO Jean Botti. “Therefore, EADS
pursues research for suitable alternatives to fossil fuels and
works together with leading research institutes as well as state
governments and stakeholder companies from around the world towards
achieving the climate protection goals of the aviation
industry.” The goals for the year 2020 set by the Advisory
Council for Aeronautics Research in Europe (ACARE) include a carbon
dioxide reduction by 50% and a nitrogen oxides reduction by
80%.