Boeing & Embraer Create Aviation Partnership

Joanna Schroeder

Boeing and Embraer S.A. have joined together to open a joint research center with the goal of advancing a sustainable aviation biofuel industry in Brazil. Under a memorandum of understanding, the two companies will perform joint biofuel research, as well as fund and coordinate research with Brazilian universities and other institutions. The research will focus on technologies that address gaps …

advanced biofuels, aviation biofuels, Brazil

Lufthansa Testing Gevo’s Renewable Jet Fuel

John Davis

German airline Lufthansa says it will test advanced biofuel maker Gevo’s renewable jet fuel. This Gevo news release says the goal is to get the airline to approve of Gevo’s alcohol-to-jet fuel (ATJ) for commercial aviation use. “ATJ, like the Fischer-Tropsch pathway, has the potential to use lignocellulosic waste as feedstock, but promises to do so at less cost than …

aviation biofuels, isobutanol

Blue Sun Project Achieves Milestone

Joanna Schroeder

A key development milestone has been achieved by the collaborative project between Blue Sun Energy, ARA Inc. and Chevron Lummus Global (CLG) in their 100 barrel/day (4,200 gallons/ per day) demonstration-scale Biofuels ISOCONVERSION (BIC) facility located in St. Joseph Missouri. The plant has now been commissioned and is producing biofuels. “This is a key milestone toward commercial scale production, with …

advanced biofuels, aviation biofuels, biochemicals, biojet fuel

Neste’s Aviation Biofuel Wins Sustainability Award

John Davis

Dutch refiner Neste Oil has won an award for its sustainable aviation biofuel. This company news release says the Sustainable Bio Award comes for its work with Neste’s Dutch partners on their joint initiative, Bioport for jet fuels in the Netherlands. Launched in November 2013, the initiative is designed to promote the deployment of sustainably produced biofuels in the aviation …

aviation biofuels, Biodiesel, International

Boeing Looks to Get Green Diesel Approval

John Davis

Aircraft manufacturing giant Boeing wants the government to approve its plan of using renewable or “green” diesel. This story from TriplePundit.com says the company is appealing to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other stakeholders to get permission to fly its planes on biodiesel’s close (but chemically different) cousin. “Boeing wants to establish new pathways for sustainable jet fuel, …

aviation biofuels, Biodiesel, green diesel

Amyris Partners With GOL

Joanna Schroeder

Bioenergy company Amyris, Inc. and GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes S.A. (GOL) the largest low-cost and low-fare airline in Latin America, have announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will pave the way for GOL commercial flights to use Amyris renewable jet fuel in 2014. The partnership was announced during the first commercial flight with a renewable jet …

advanced biofuels, aviation biofuels, Brazil, International

AFAI Launches “Jetropha” Campaign

Joanna Schroeder

Alternative Fuels Americas (AFAI), an advanced biofuels company, is launching Project Jetropha, a campaign to encourage and promote the use of Jatropha based biofuels in aircraft. The project website will be launched in the coming weeks. “The aviation industry has been under pressure to lower its disproportionately high contribution to carbon emissions,” said CEO Craig Frank. “With fuels costs comprising …

advanced biofuels, aviation biofuels, feedstocks

Boeing & SAA Partner for Aviation Biofuels

Joanna Schroeder

Boeing and South African Airways (SAA) have announced a partnership to develop and implement a sustainable aviation biofuel supply chain in Southern Africa, a first for the continent. The companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding for sustainable aviation biofuel supply chain development at The Corporate Council on Africa’s 9th Biennial U.S.-Africa Business, attended by executives from leading U.S. and African …

advanced biofuels, aviation biofuels, International

Cool Planet Chooses Louisiana for Biofuel Project

Joanna Schroeder

Cool Planet Energy Systems, a developer of small scale biorefineries which convert non-food biomass into gasoline, jet fuel, and soil biochar, has announced the selection of Alexandria, Louisiana as the location for their first commercial biorefinery. The facility will be located on the Port of Alexandria in Rapides Parish and will serve as a showcase facility. The goal of Cool …

advanced biofuels, aviation biofuels, biomass

Students Fly the Skies with Biofuel

Joanna Schroeder

Purdue faculty and students took to the skies with biofuel when the Purdue Embrarer Phenom 100 flew during the recent Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture, an international plane show. The airplane was unique in that one engine was filled with traditional jet fuel while the other engine was filled with a biofuel blend prepared by the Air Force. The plane was …

aviation biofuels, Renewable Energy, Research