First Airlines and UOP Join Algal Biomass Organization
19 June 2008
Global air carriers Air New Zealand, Continental, Virgin Atlantic Airways, and biofuel technology developer UOP LLC, a Honeywell company, will be the first wave of aviation-related members to join the newly formed Algal Biomass Organization (ABO).
Together with Boeing, which co-chairs the ABO, the airlines are advocating for the identification and acceleration of new generations of fuel sources for the industry that have lower life cycle carbon emissions; in this case sustainable algae-based biofuels.
No one airline, research organization or scientific group holds the key to making air travel more environmentally sustainable. It must be a collective effort across research organizations, aircraft and engine manufacturers, fuel companies, refiners and airlines. Therefore, we are naturally delighted to be at the forefront of this latest effort to take aviation into a greener future.
—Air New Zealand Deputy Chief Executive Norm Thompson
To effectively address a high volume of claims being made regarding algae and its potential, 400 leading global algae experts established the Algal Biomass Organization to advocate for viable algae markets and technologies. Unlike other second-generation biofuel options, algae will require technological breakthroughs to become viable and the ABO plans to provide a single, collective voice regarding ongoing efforts.
"Unlike other second-generation biofuel options, algae will require technological breakthroughs to become viable"
what kind of tech breakthroughs are required? AIUI the yield from algae is already very high, the only problem is scaling up/industrialising the process, finding the optimum size for bioreactors etc. this applies to most 2G biofuels I would have thought.
Posted by: eric | 19 June 2008 at 01:39 PM
Here is an angle on that
Should this have read "the aviation industry" has major issues requiring technological breakthrough.
Ground and sea transport wont stop though lack of fuel I'm sure.
The aviation requirements are much more specific and require large amounts of fuel meeting very tight specifications.
Posted by: arnold | 19 June 2008 at 02:41 PM
I think that Virgin Air has already flown an all biofuel leg up to Ireland. Fuel however was from palm and not algal feedstock.
Posted by: gr | 20 June 2008 at 07:11 PM