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Archived News

TRB’s Airport Cooperative Research Program Publishes a Report on Alternative Fuel Distribution Programs

4/23/13—The Transportation Research Board’s (TRB) Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) has recently published a report on "Assessing Opportunities for Alternative Fuel Distribution Programs." Alternative fuels considered include alternative jet fuel, green diesel, biodiesel, ethanol, compressed natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, and electricity. The report consists of a guidebook and toolkit designed to help airports introduce and market alternative fuels to their airport community that includes tenants and consumers off airport. The guidebook identifies a variety of economic, environmental, and policy issues that need to be addressed, including a step-by-step process to evaluate opportunities and constraints for alternative fuel distribution programs. The toolkit consists of two spreadsheets that help airport decision-makers evaluate alternative fuels marketing and distribution programs. See this link for more information on receiving this report. A separate final report providing background of the research conducted in support of the guidebook can be found here.

DOE Announces $17.7 Million in Grants for Military Drop-In Biofuel Projects

4/23/13—The Department of Energy has announced $17.7 million in grants to four innovative pilot-scale biorefineries in California, Iowa, and Washington. These facilities will test a variety of non-food biomass feedstocks, waste-based materials, and algae in innovative conversion processes to produce biofuels that meet military specifications for jet fuel and diesel. The projects must demonstrate technologies that cost-effectively convert biomass into advanced drop-in biofuels. The results will assist with the scale-up of processes to commercial levels. Recipients of the grant are required to match a minimum of 50% of funds for these projects. The projects selected for negotiation are from Frontline Bioenergy LLC, Cobalt Technologies, Mercurius Biorefining, Inc., and Bioprocess Algae. Frontline Bioenergy LLC will build and integrate a new pilot-scale TarFreeGas™ reactor and gas conditioning processes capable of producing 1 barrel/day of Fischer-Tropsch (FT) liquids from woody biomass, municipal solid waste and refuse derived fuel. Cobalt Technologies will operate a pilot-scale integrated biorefinery to convert switchgrass (butanol) to jet fuel. Mercurius Biofrefining, Inc. will build and operate a pilot plant that converts cellulosic biomass into non-sugar intermediates, which are further processed into drop-in jet fuel. Bioprocess Algae will evaluate an algal growth platform that produces hydrocarbon fuels using renewable carbon dioxide, lignocellulosic sugars and waste heat. The proposed biorefinery will integrate low-cost autotrophic algal production, accelerated lipid production, and lipid conversion. See DOE's press release for more information. Also see here for a Biofuels Digest article.

Recap on the Aviation and Military Markets Day at ABLC 2013

4/23/13—The aviation focus of the Advanced Biofuels Leadership Conference began on late Tuesday afternoon, with a special military and aviation biofuels panel entitled “What Military and Aviation Customers Want and How We are Going to Get There.” This panel featured the “buyers” of aviation biofuels, including Navy Deputy Assistant Secretary Tom Hicks, Airlines for America VP and CAAFI Environmental Co-Chair Nancy Young, and senior global airline leadership from United Airlines, Lufthansa, British Airways, and Virgin Australia. The program continued into Wednesday for a full day dedicated to aviation biofuels, cited as the largest gathering of aviation biofuel producers, leaders, and government authorities of 2013. Wednesday began with an opening address delivered by Dr. Lourdes Maurice, Executive Director of the Office of Environment and Energy in FAA, highlighting the importance of biofuel production in the aviation industry, aviation’s leading role in the biofuel industry, and the impact that public-private organizations such as CAAFI have on advancement. The opening panel, “Beyond Farm to Fly,” featured representatives from five U.S. government agencies: DOE, EPA, FAA, USDA and DOD who spoke on behalf of their respective agencies’ current activities and progress regarding aviation biofuel production advancement. The panel was moderated by CAAFI Executive Director Steve Csonka. The following panel, “Aviation’s Blossoming Global Cooperative Efforts,” moderated by CAAFI Executive Director Emeritus, Richard Altman, featured international efforts from Germany, Australia, and the European Commission. Speakers describing British Airways and Solena Fuels ongoing development of alternative jet fuel production in London and a panel on “Emerging State and Regional Opportunities,” followed. The day ended with an update on progress, activities, and plans for this year from the team leads of each of the four teams of CAAFI: Certification/Qualification, Environment, R&D, and Business. Overall, ABLC 2013 was a resounding success, and demonstrated the positive impact of collaboration and the tremendous progress since 2006; as Dr. Maurice stated, “It really is amazing."

USDA and CAAFI Sponsors FAA, A4A, AIA, and ACI-NA Sign Farm to Fly 2.0 Agreement at ABLC

4/16/2013—In July 2010, USDA joined with CAAFI sponsor Airlines for America (A4A) and the Boeing Company in forming a “Farm to Fly” working group to identify and facilitate funding of feedstocks and production facilities focused on alternative aviation fuels, including changes to key government policies. This program ran for three years, and achieved progress as a result of the coordinated public-private focus on the development of renewable jet fuel for the commercial aviation industry. It also identified opportunities for further progress. In order to continue working together over the next 5 years in an expanded collaboration, a Farm to Fly 2.0 working agreement has been drafted to set out goals for cooperation between CAAFI and USDA on development of sustainable alternative jet fuels. Signatories to the agreement are USDA, each of CAAFI’s four sponsor organizations: FAA, A4A, AIA and ACI-NA, the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA). The goal of this agreement is to enable commercially-viable, renewable jet fuel supply-chains in the U.S. that are able to support the end-of-the-decade production and use goals established by commercial, military and business aviation enterprises. Also, USDA acknowledges that its efforts to increase domestic energy security and support rural development are well aligned with aviation’s needs to establish robust regionalized biomass supply chains for the production of renewable jet fuel. The signing of this document took place at the Advanced Biofuels Leadership Conference on April 15 by DOT Sec. Ray LaHood and USDA Sec. Tom Vilsack. Both Sec. Vilsack and Sec. LaHood also gave remarks, highlighting USDA’s commitment to supporting an advanced biofuels industry, the aviation industry, and FAA’s Destination 2025 goal of 1 Billion gallons of jet fuel by 2018. See link for a press release including audio of Sec. LaHood and Sec. Vilsack Q&A.

USDA Secretary Vilsack, Aviation Alternative Fuels Highlights of Upcoming ABLC in Washington, DC on April 15-17

U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has been confirmed as the Keynote Speaker for the Advanced Biofuels Leadership Conference on April 15-17, hosted by Biofuels Digest in Washington, DC. Vilsack joins the annual ABLC to participate in its relatively new aviation program, brought to you in collaboration with CAAFI, Airlines for America, and the FAA. The aviation program will begin with a late Tuesday afternoon aviation biofuel “buyers” panel led by Navy Deputy Assistant Secretary Tom Hicks, CAAFI Environmental Co-Chair Nancy Young, and senior global airline leadership from United Airlines, Lufthansa, British Airways, and Virgin Australia. The program continues into Wednesday for a full day dedicated to aviation biofuels, cited as the strongest aviation-focused biofuel program of the year. This Aviation Day offers the most complete array of speakers and subjects in aviation available in 2013. Aviation Day includes: - A U.S. panel on new developments featuring government leaders from the FAA, USDA, DOE, Navy, and EPA - An international panel featuring CAAFI sister organizations in Germany, Australia, and Brazil working with CAAFI and its sponsors to accomplish aviation goals - A U.S. states panel describing new initiatives in multiple states that are forging new development and deployment models at the regional, state, and local levels - A closing panel of CAAFI’s Team Leaders offering their progress, directions and plans for this year We look forward to seeing you at ABLC to celebrate the largest gathering of aviation biofuel producers, leaders, and government authorities of 2013. Registration is still open!

KLM Launches a Series of Biofuel-Powered Flights between New York and Amsterdam

3/18/13—KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has launched a series of biofuel-powered intercontinental flights between New York’s John F. Kennedy (JFK) airport and Amsterdam’s Schiphol in partnership with the Schiphol Group, Delta Air Lines and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. These weekly flights were initiated on March 8, and will continue every Thursday for 24 more weeks. The KLM project, titled “Optimal Flight,” is operated by a Boeing 777-200, fueled with 25 percent recycled cooking oil converted to hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) jet fuel and 75 percent conventional jet fuel. This second-generation biofuel was supplied by a SkyNRG in conjunction with the producer Dynamic Fuels from waste cooking oil in Louisiana. Both these companies have received the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels (RSB) certification. This marks the first time biofuels will be used on a regular basis for trans-Atlantic flights. KLM states that carbon emissions have been reduced by 80 percent because of the cleaner fuel and flight efficiency initiatives. See here for a Dutch article and a video on KLM’s “Optimal Flight.” Also see the New York Times article for more information.

NASA Begins a Flight Research Campaign Using Renewable Jet Fuel

3/7/13—NASA researchers have begun a flight research campaign using the DC-8 flying laboratory to study the effects of renewable jet fuel on engine performance, emissions, and aircraft-generated contrails at altitude. This study is called the Alternative Fuel Effects on Contrails and Cruise Emissions (ACCESS), and involves flying the DC-8 as high as 40,000 feet while an instrumented NASA Falcon HU-25 aircraft trails behind at distances ranging from 300 feet to more than 10 miles. The DC-8’s four CFM56 engines are powered by a 50-50 blend of JP-8 and hydro processed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) jet fuel from camelina plants. HEFA is a synthesized hydrocarbon jet fuel process CAAFI helped to get approved by ASTM in July 2011. The flight campaign began on February 28th and is planned to continue for eight weeks. Ruben Del Rosario, manager of NASA’s Fixed Wing Project said “this study will improve understanding of contrails formation and quantify potential benefits of renewable alternate fuels in terms of aviation’s impact on the environment.” For more information see NASA’s news release. Click here to see a photo of NASA's DC-8 flying laboratory in the air, taken by the HU-25 Falcon about 300 feet behind. See here for the official feature on NASA's website with an update on activities and additional images.

CAAFI Attends Australian Airshow

2/27/2013--CAAFI's Rich Altman appeared on Australian TV this week while attending Australia's Avalon Air show. Avalon is Australia's international air show and exhibition. Rich participated in an alternative jet fuel conference organized by the Australian Initiative for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (AISAF) which collaborates with CAAFI via a cooperation agreement between the United State's FAA and Australia's Department of Resources, Environment and Tourism. See the video in which he appears with CAAFI partners.

EPA Qualifies Alternative Jet Fuel Pathways under the RFS Program

2/26/2013—On Friday, February 22nd, the EPA identified additional renewable fuel production pathways determined to meet life cycle GHG reduction requirements under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2) program. This final rule describes EPA’s analysis and determinations for these new fuel pathways. It also clarifies the definition of renewable diesel to explicitly include jet fuel. Biodiesel and renewable diesel (including jet fuel) produced from camelina oil now qualify as biomass-based diesel or advanced biofuel. Also, biofuels produced from energy cane cellulosic biomass now qualify as cellulosic biofuel. By qualifying these new fuel pathways, this rule provides opportunities to increase the volume of alternative jet fuels with low GHG footprints by allowing producers or importers of fuel produced under these pathways to be eligible for crediting and generating Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) in accordance with the RFS regulations. Please see the following link for the EPA Fact Sheet and Final Rule documents.

Solicitation Open for New Air Transportation Center of Excellence for Alternative Jet Fuels and Environment

2/19/2013—The FAA will establish an Air Transportation Center of Excellence (COE) for Alternative Jet Fuels and Environment (AJF&E) in FY2013. The COE will explore ways to meet the energy and environmental goals for the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen), to provide environmental protection while sustaining aviation growth. The COE will create a cost-sharing partnership between academia, industry, and government focusing on environmental aviation and alternative jet fuels. FAA is soliciting proposals until March 20, 2013 from university partners at accredited institutions of higher education. Once core university members have been selected, the FAA will enter into cooperative agreements and award matching grants to establish, operate, and conduct research on alternative jet fuels and environmental aviation matters. The cooperative agreement will be awarded in two phases up to a maximum of 10 years. See the Final Solicitation.

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