Masdar, Boeing, Etihad, UOP complete seawater biofuels feasibility

In the United Arab Emirates, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, the Boeing Company, Etihad Airways, and Honeywell’s UOP announced completion of a Sustainability Assessment of the Integrated Seawater Agriculture System production of aviation biofuels and other bioresources. This study makes a significant contribution to current knowledge on the viability of using salt-tolerant plants irrigated with seawater as a sustainable feedstock for biofuels.

The researchers confirmed the potential of ISAS to yield high value fuels and resources, including aviation fuel, biodiesel, electricity, aquaculture products, and others, without competing for freshwater resources and arable land used by conventional agriculture. The study also identified key research needs that can be addressed in order to increase the likelihood of success at large-scale commercial deployment. The research which commenced a year ago also entails basic agronomic research on the halophyte Salicornia bigelovii, which is still currently in progress.

The findings will provide needed inputs for the development of the Sustainable Bioenergy Research Center, of which Masdar Institute, Boeing, Etihad Airways and Honeywell’s UOP are founding members.

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