[EMBRAER]
FLIGHTS TO RIO
18
Flightpath.
For the United Nations Sustainable Development Conference (Rio+20) in 2012, the industry and ICAO worked together to showcase biofuels for aviation by transporting ICAO secretary general Raymond Benjamin on a series of flights from Montréal to Rio de Janeiro:
1
Porter Airlines Bombardier Q400 Camelina-derived biofuel
YUL to YTZ
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There is a huge amount of research and activity underway around the world on delivering biofuels for aviation from a wide range of sources. Although most passenger flights have taken place on biofuels derived from sources such as used cooking oil so far, this is simply a function of availability. Research is currently underway into biofuels from sources as diverse as algae, sugarcane, grasses such as camelina and salicornia, crops like jatropha, municipal waste and even waste gases from steel production. While there is a strong desire amongst airlines to use this new fuel, there remains a big barrier: price. Currently, most aviation biofuel is only made as specialist, one-off batch quantities, which means the price is about three to five times that of regular jet fuel. As production ramps up, it will come down, but we need to try and kick-start this process fast, in order to bring down the price until it is comparable with traditional jet fuel. We are asking governments for assistance to do this. In particular: 1. Foster research into new feedstock sources and refining processes: Policy enablers include establishing funding programmes for academic research through existing or new university, research institution or industrial research projects. 2. De-risk public and private investments in aviation biofuels: These incremental upfront capital investment costs are a potential barrier to commercialisation. In this context, governments can play a role in reducing this risk through measures such as loan guarantees, tax incentives, grants and co-financing for pilot and demonstration projects.
3. Provide incentives for airlines to use biofuels from an early stage: Crafting policies that create a level playing field for biofuels vis-à-vis other energy sources, and aviation vis-à-vis other sectors, is a key element in aviation biofuels commercialisation. 4. Encourage stakeholders to commit to robust international sustainability criteria: The development of an accepted set of globally harmonised standards will help ensure that investment is directed at biofuels that meet acceptable sustainability criteria, thus minimising this form of risk. 5. Understand local green growth opportunities: By bringing the aviation industry, government, biofuel, agriculture and academic expertise together, analysing the optimum opportunities that exist in your country for aviation biofuel production including the most effective feedstock sources and infrastructure requirements. 6. Establish coalitions encompassing all parts of the supply chain: Ensure that partnerships are established and that stakeholders work together to ensure sustainability and economic benefits are felt by all parts of the supply chain. By following these steps, we can help ensure a sustainable future for aviation, an industry which supports nearly 57 million jobs and 3.5% of the world’s GDP, not to mention connectivity and support to exporters and businesses the world over. The aviation industry is committed to bringing down its carbon emissions and biofuels will go a long way to helping us achieve that. F. »» www.flyonbiofuels.org
Air Canada Airbus A319 Used cooking oil biofuel
YYZ to MEX
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AeroMexico Boeing 777 Jatropha-derived biofuel
MEX to GRU
GOL Airlines Boeing 737-800 Used cooking oil biofuel
The following biofuelled flights also operated:
GRU to SDU
Azul Airlines Embraer 190 Sugarcane-derived biofuel
SJK to SDU
KLM Boeing 777 Used cooking oil biofuel
AMS to GIG
1_Embraer and Azul joined forces in 2012 to operate the first test flight of a biofuel made from sugar cane. 2_Air France joins with Total, Safran and Airbus to launch the ‘joining our energies’ flight at the 2013 Paris Air show. 3_Virgin Atlantic has won an award in the Sustainable Aviation category for its work with LanzaTech on innovative biofuels from steel production.