Paves The Way For Increased Biofuel Use In Commercial Aircraft

The Air Transport Association of America, Inc. (ATA) praised the ASTM International Committee on Petroleum Products and Lubricants late last week for approving a new jet fuel specification that will further enable the use of sustainable alternative fuels in aviation.

"The committee endorsement of this specification is significant for all consumers of jet fuel, bringing the airline industry one step closer to widespread production of cleaner, alternative fuels that will help meet our environmental goals while enhancing the security and competitiveness of our energy supply," said ATA President and CEO Nicholas E. Calio.

Supported by work undertaken by the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI), which ATA helped co-found in 2006, a committee of experts at ASTM voted to approve the addition of a new bio-derived jet fuel annex to the alternative jet fuel specification D7566. This effectively concludes the technical review process, allowing for final issuance of the revised specification by August of this year. The new annex details the fuel properties and criteria necessary to control the manufacture and quality of this new fuel, referred to as "Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids" (HEFA) fuel, to ensure safe aviation use. Once issued by ASTM, the revised specification will enable use of HEFA fuels from biomass feedstocks such as camelina, jatropha or algae, in combination with conventional jet fuel up to a 50 percent blend.

With the approval of the alternative jet fuel specification for HEFA (sometimes referred to as "hydroprocessed renewable jet" fuel), hydroprocessing of plant oils becomes another pathway for production of alternative jet fuels. In 2009, ASTM approved Fischer-Tropsch processing as the first pathway to be covered by its alternative jet fuel specification.

"This standard provides another pathway for alternative jet fuel production, and will enable increased commercial production," said Calio. "At the same time, we continue to explore other pathways that may be able to meet the rigorous criteria needed under the jet fuel specification."

Led by CAAFI, a collaborative effort among airlines, engine and airframe manufacturers, airports, universities, the Federal Aviation Administration, the military and others, the aviation fuel community plans to turn next to development and approval of pathways for processes that convert sugars and lignocellulosic feedstocks to jet fuel.

FMI: www.airlines.org