Flightpath. Sept 2013 | Page 19

» BIOFUELS FRENCH PARTNERSHIP TO DEVELOP BIOFUELS ESTABLISHED At the Paris Air Show 2013, Airbus, Air France, Safran and Total organised the “Joining our Energies — Biofuel Initiative France” flight to illustrate the French industry’s technical capacity to integrate aeronautical biofuels. The four players underlined the need to improve research into the development » BIOFUELS » BIOFUELS United Airlines has executed a definitive purchase agreement with AltAir Fuels for cost-competitive, sustainable, advanced biofuels. With United’s strategic partnership, AltAir Fuels will retrofit part of an existing petroleum refinery to become an advanced biofuel refinery near Los Angeles. United has collaborated with AltAir Fuels since 2009 and has agreed to buy 56 million litres of renewable jet fuel over a three-year period. The airline is purchasing the advanced biofuel at a price competitive with traditional, petroleum-based jet fuel, and AltAir expects to begin delivering 18 million litres of renewable jet fuel per year to United starting in 2014. United will use the biofuel on flights operating out of its Los Angeles hub. F. UNITED TO FORWARD PURCHASE of sustainable biofuels with a view to creating a French biofuel industry. As an increasing number of initiatives are being implemented in Europe and worldwide, France has numerous assets for creating an innovative value chain with its world-leading fuel supplier, engine manufacturer, aircraft manufacturer and airline. For several years now, Airbus, Air France, Safran and Total have been researching, innovating and reflecting on future aviation fuels at national and international levels. They currently propose an innovative industrial approach to guarantee the aeronautical industry a sustainable future. F. BIOFUELS AWARD FOR VIRGIN Virgin Atlantic was delighted to win the 2013 Sustainable Biofuels Award in the Sustainable Aviation sector. The award follows Virgin Atlantic’s ground-breaking work towards the development of a world-first low carbon aviation fuel that is set to achieve 50-60% carbon reductions compared to the standard fossil fuel alternative. The airline’s partnership with LanzaTech represents a breakthrough in aviation fuel technology that will see waste gases from industrial steel production being captured, biologically fermented and chemically converted for use as a jet fuel. The revolutionary fuel production process recycles waste gases that would otherwise be burnt into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. Richard Branson described this process as “one of the most exciting developments of our lifetime and a major breakthrough in the war on carbon”. F. 3 [VIRGIN ATLANTIC] FITTING WINGLETS TO ANA’S 767-300 AIRCRAFT HAS REDUCED ANNUAL CO2 EMISSIONS PER AIRCRAFT BY 2,100 TONNES. Virgin Australia, Brisbane Airport Corporation and the global market maker in sustainable jet fuel, SkyNRG, have announced a feasibility study into the creation of Australia’s first “bio-port” at Brisbane Airport. The parties will work together towards the ultimate goal of enabling aircraft to be fuelled with sustainable bio jet fuel at Brisbane Airport. The study will involve researching the locally available feedstocks, sustainable and cost-effective methods for transporting them and the most appropriate technology for converting them into biofuel. F. 2 » BIOFUELS [AIRBUS] Flightpath. BNE TO BE “BIOPORT” 19