Continental Airlines tests aviation biofuel; first use of algae; first US biofuel test flight; first two-engine flight

In Texas, Continental Airlines successfully demonstrated the use of algae as an aviation fuel yesterday in a two-hour test flight at George Bush International Airport in Houston. The flight was the first test of biofuels by a North American airline; the first to utilize algae as a biofuel feedstock; and the first biofuels test flight in a two-engine jet.

The Boeing 737, powered by CFM engines, operated with a 50 percent biofuel blend in the right side engine during the two hour test program, which included a full power take off, a climb to 25,000 feet including a fuel pump switch-off, a cruise at 37,000 feet; deceleration/acceleration, descent, engine restart without starter; engine restart with starter, approach and go around, and landing. Preliminary data showed that the engines performed as predicted, and the test flight was completed without a hitch.

The biofuel for the flight was created by UOP, from jatropha provided by Terra Sol Bofuels, and algae provided by Sapphire Energy. The fuel mix included 50 percent Jet A, 47 percent jatropha and 3 percent algae.

The team that participated in the support of the flight included the US Air Force, the FAA, Yale University, CAAFI, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and MIT, in addition to the fuel, engine and aircraft partners.

“All of us are working together, doing our part to move aviation biofuels forward,” said Billy Glover, managing director of environmental performance for Boeing. Boeing has arranged for three test flights to date of aviation biofuels: the B20 747 test with Virgin Atlantic in February 2008; the December 30th Air New Zealand B50 test of jatropha-based biofuel, and the Continental test flight.

Eric Bachelet, president of engine manufacturer CFM International (a joint venture of General Electric and Snecma), said that his company has been following a three step process in reducing aviation emissions, including technical upgrades to the current generation of engines; new engines to meet aggressive goals for noise, emissions and fuel efficiency; and support of partnerships to test and deploy biofuels. Bachelet commented that CFM had conducted 40 hours of ground tests with UOP’s biofuel prior to the flight test.

Jennifer Holmgren, general manager for UOP’s Renewable Energy unit, said “we are united by a common vision,” and said that UOP and all the partners had been searching for fuels that were a drop-in replacement for current aviation fuel (requiring no engine or aircraft modifications, or additional infrastructure), and economically, environmentally and socially sustainable. “We now have a fuel that meets that criteria”, she said.

Holmgren added that UOP expects to license its fuel technology by mid-2009, and said that commercial aviation flights would be powered by biofuels by 2012. Her comments were echoed last week by Air New Zealand management, who said they expected their biofuel usage to reach 10 percent by 2013.

None of the partners would be drawn to comment on specific biofuel consumption targets by 2012. “There’s a technical side,” said Continental CEO Larry Kellner, “a production side and an economic side. Today is about the technical side. It is a small step but an important one.” Kellner also noted that the aviation industry had moved from a single engine test in a 747 using a 20 percent biofuel blend, to a 50 percent blend test using one engine on a two-engine aircraft, in less than one year. “That’s real progress,” he said.

The algae oil for the flight was provided by Sapphire Energy, which was recently ranked #2 in the  Biofuels Digest “50 Hottest Companies in Bioenergy” list.

“We are excited to be a part of an historic day,” said Sapphire’s VP for Corporate Affairs, Tim Zenk, while showing algae oil to a packed crowd of media, aviation execs and observers that crowded a Continental Express hangar in Houston to witness the flight. Sapphire and other partners singled out Boeing as the driving force behind the series of biofuel flights. Sapphire’s team of geneticists and process engineers are aimed at drop-in fuel production themselves, but worked as an oil-providing partner on the Continental test flight while the Sapphire facility in Las Cruces, NM is under development.

The next test flight will take place on January 30th in Tokyo, when Japan Air Lines tests a 50 percent biofuels blend in one of the Pratt & Whiteny JT9D engines in a Boeing 747-300. In that test, JAL will use 50 percent Jet-A (kerosene), 42 percent camelina, nearly eight percent jatropha, and under one percent algae. The camelina oil will be provided by Sustainable Oils.

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