Rolls-Royce, Boeing, Air New Zealand and biofuel

Rolls-Royce plc is the second-largest aircraft engine maker in the world. Rolls-Royce has over 11,900 jet engines in service, spanning business jets to modern widebody airliners, with thrusts from 2,000lb to almost 100,000lb

Did you know?

• Biofuels offer a genuine alternative to less carbon efficient energy, potentially offering a carbon neutral future. This means that the carbon released during the use of the fuel, e.g. through burning to power transport or generate electricity, is reabsorbed and balanced by the carbon absorbed by new plant growth. These plants are then harvested to make the next batch of fuel.

What are we doing?

• Rolls-Royce, Boeing and Air New Zealand have announced a Memorandum of Understanding to conduct a biofuel demonstration flight designed to help accelerate the development of viable and sustainable alternative fuels for commercial aviation.
• Boeing is exploring second-generation biofuel feed stocks and processes that have the potential to reduce greenhouse gases throughout their life cycle.

What is the result?

• The near-term goal in this pioneering effort is to identify sustainable alternative bio-jet fuel sources for the planes that we are flying today.
• Bio-jet fuels will incorporate second-generation methodologies relative to sustainable feedstock source selection and fuel processing, which are uniquely suited for aerospace applications.
• Bio-jet fuels can potentially be blended with traditional kerosene fuel (Jet-A) to reduce dependence on petroleum-based fuel.

See the full case study here for more details