JetBlue and Airbus Team up on Biofuel

posted: 15 May 2008 02:08 pm ET

: A JetBlue Airways Airbus A320 lands at Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, Calif. on April 18, 2007. JetBlue is teaming up with Airbus, International Aero Engines (the maker of the engines on JetBlue's A320s) and Honeywell Aerospace to develop and certify jet fuels from renewable biomass sources. Credit: AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes

JetBlue Airways is teaming with Airbus, International Aero Engines (IAE) and Honeywell Aerospace to pursue development of a sustainable second-generation biofuel for use in commercial aircraft.

The partnership aims to help develop renewable-energy technology to convert vegetation- and algae-based oils into aviation fuels and to evaluate the challenges for obtaining approval for these fuels by standards organizations. Such non-food-crop biomass fuels provide a better fuel-to-emissions lifecycle than current kerosene, according to Airbus.

Airbus, JetBlue, Honeywell and IAE — a partnership led by Rolls-Royce and Pratt & Whitney that makes engines for A320s and other jets — are examining the benefits of jet fuels derived from renewable biomass sources that do not compete with existing food production or valuable land and water resources.

These “second-generation bio-jet” fuels will be produced using technology developed by Honeywell’s UOP, a developer of technology and products for the refining industry, said Airbus. The aircraft maker said UOP has developed a process to convert biological material into renewable jet fuel that performs identically to traditional fuels while meeting the stringent performance specifications required for flight.

“Over the last 40 years, aviation has reduced fuel burn — and therefore carbon dioxide emissions — by 70 percent, but more needs to be done,” said Sebastien Remy, head of alternative fuels research programs for Airbus.

“Millions of barrels of kerosene are used each day for aircraft fuel, and worldwide demand is growing. In order to replace a significant portion of that jet fuel with bio-jet, we need to find something that has much greater yield than the current biomass sources available," added Remy. "Airbus believes that second-generation bio-jet could provide up to 30 percent of all commercial aviation jet fuel by 2030.”

The potential environmental advantages of using second-generation bio-jet are extensive, and include reduced emissions and particulates; reduced carbon footprint; improved engine cleanliness; reduced contrail formation; and overall lifecycle benefits, according to Airbus.

In addition to investigating the environmental benefits of biofuels, the partnership will conduct research into whether biofuels could potentially be developed that would expand payload-range aircraft performance, reduce fuel burn, and increase engine reliability and durability — all critical cost factors for aircraft operators.

“This has the potential to benefit every world citizen beyond those involved in our business,” said Russ Chew, JetBlue Airways' president and chief operating officer. “Each of our companies has the social responsibility to work toward developing a cleaner way to do business.”

On Feb. 1, 2008 Airbus became the first company to fly a jetliner partly powered by an alternative fuel, when the company flew an A380 superjumbo from Bristol in England to the company's main base in Toulouse, France using a blend of regular fuel and jet fuel processed from liquid natural gas. Shortly afterwards Virgin Atlantic Airways flew a Boeing 747-400 partly powered by biofuel, and several airlines — among them Continental Airlines — have announced plans to operate experimental biofuel-powered flights with commercial jets.