Tue, Sep 14, 2010
Certification Process Is Underway
The day of replacing petroleum-based jet fuel with a biofuel
blend may be only 24-36 months away, according to Honeywell UOP,
and the company says commercial-scale production will drive
down the cost of the fuel.
Originally developed under a DARPA contract, "green" jet fuel
uses biomass, such as yard and tree trimmings, plants such as
camelina and algae, and waste cooking oil as a base for renewable,
ultra-clean diesel fuel. A new facility in California is using the
UOP hydroprocessing technology to convert hydrocarbons into
clean-fuel products.
Green fuels have been successfully demonstrated in both
commercial airliners and military aircraft, both fixed wing and
rotary. Engineering news reports that a 50-50 blend of biofuel and
petroleum-based fuel is currently required, as the
biofuel lacks some necessary aromatics found in standard fuel.
However, UOP says there is a process to produce those aromatics
from green stocks, which would allow it to produce a 100% "green"
aviation biofuel.
Honeywell UOP announced earlier this month that its technology
was selected for use in Rentech, Inc.’s Rialto Renewable
Energy Center for the conversion of biomass to transportation
fuels. In August 2009, eight airlines signed a multi-year agreement
with Rentech to together purchase up to 1.5 million gallons per
year of diesel from the Rialto Project for use in ground service
equipment at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The Rialto
Project is scheduled to start up in late 2012.
The focus is currently on FAA certification of biofuel, which
the company says it expects by the end of this year.
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