Development on Pure, Non-Petroleum Fuel Continues Among Slate of GE Aviation Projects

GE Aviation has announced the completion of testing of its Passport engine on 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel, happily reporting that the project is capable of operating on the low-carbon alternative even at high concentrations.

The Passport is GE's attempt at nailing the long-range business aviation engine as the world trends towards low carbon, sustainable alternatives, boasting better fuel efficiency, reliability, and simplicity than similar legacy systems. Sustainable Aviation Fuel has made inroads into the industry at large, but seldom at concentrations higher than the current ASTM blend limit of 50%. Most SAF currently on the market is half petroleum-based, traditional Jet A/A-1, and the other half synthesized, renewable stock from other sources. 

The path forward is clearly trending towards carbon neutrality throughout aviation, with SAF making up the bulk of intermediate term carbon emission reductions. Manufacturers understand that being ready for pure SAF will soon become a necessity for those bizjet owners and operators around the world. While the tech behind the change is fairly streamlined, the usual abundance of caution and focus on proven safety results in a battery rigorous testing before clearing the engine for duty. GE Aviation says that the Passport ran perfectly on HEFA-SPK, the most widely available SAF in general use. Its base feedstocks often come from waste oils from the food industry, allowing refiners to spin metaphorical gold from the waste. 

“As our testing shows, the Passport engine, like all GE engines, can operate on approved Sustainable Aviation Fuel today and in the future,” said Melvyn Heard, head of the Passport engine program. “Our customers can be confident that the Passport engine can help meet their sustainability goals to reduce CO2 emissions in flight, thanks to the Passport’s more fuel-efficient technologies compared to previous-generation business jet engines and ability to operate on lower-carbon fuels.” 

FMI: www.GEAviation.com