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NZ & Boeing Working On A World First!

Zkpilot From New Zealand, joined Mar 2006, 4739 posts, RR: 10
Posted (5 years 10 months 1 week 2 days 1 hour ago) and read 4675 times:

Air New Zealand and Boeing are working in conjunction with a New Zealand based company (Aquaflow Bionomic Corporation) to "create the world's first environmentally friendly aviation fuel, made of wild algae."

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4132048a13.html

It seems that they are looking at using algae to produce a biofuel that could result in aviation becoming carbon-neutral!

If the development occurs, NZ will provide an aircraft to test the new fuel on one of its Trans-Tasman routes by running one engine on bio-fuel and the other on ordinary Jetfuel to ensure safe operation until such time as the new fuel is deemed acceptable to airlines and regulatory authorities one would assume.

With aviation taking a bit of heat lately regarding global warming and the cost of fuel, this could be quite an interesting development!

54 types. 38 countries. 24 airlines.

11 replies: All unread, jump to last

WAH64D From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2005, 966 posts, RR: 14
Reply 1, posted (5 years 10 months 1 week 2 days 1 hour ago) and read 4633 times:

Quoting Zkpilot (Thread starter):
If the development occurs, NZ will provide an aircraft to test the new fuel on one of its Trans-Tasman routes by running one engine on bio-fuel and the other on ordinary Jetfuel to ensure safe operation until such time as the new fuel is deemed acceptable to airlines and regulatory authorities one would assume.

It'll happen with no pax onboard. The aircraft's certificate of airworthiness would not cover alternative fuels.

I AM the No-spotalotacus.

NZ747 From New Zealand, joined Dec 2004, 958 posts, RR: 4
Reply 2, posted (5 years 10 months 1 week 2 days 1 hour ago) and read 4555 times:

Nice to our small green patch of grass helping the future fuel crisis.

For an engine that is designed to run from jet A-1, do you know if they have done or are doing any ground tests on a G.T. engine to test performance?

Zkpilot From New Zealand, joined Mar 2006, 4739 posts, RR: 10
Reply 3, posted (5 years 10 months 1 week 2 days 1 hour ago) and read 4517 times:

Quoting NZ747 (Reply 2):
For an engine that is designed to run from jet A-1, do you know if they have done or are doing any ground tests on a G.T. engine to test performance?

Gas-turbine engines can burn pretty much anything from kero to diesel to petrol to alcohol... how much power they produce on each fuel, cost and weight and freezing point are the deciding factors.

Quoting WAH64D (Reply 1):
It'll happen with no pax onboard. The aircraft's certificate of airworthiness would not cover alternative fuels.

not necessarily and note that Boeing is involved... they're the ones that come up with whether or not an aircraft can run on whatever... of course NZ would require CAA (NZL) and CASA (AUS) approval.

54 types. 38 countries. 24 airlines.

ZKSUJ From New Zealand, joined May 2004, 6936 posts, RR: 10
Reply 4, posted (5 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 13 hours ago) and read 3896 times:

Interesting development. Better patent the idea before some other country steals the idea Wink

WAH64D From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2005, 966 posts, RR: 14
Reply 5, posted (5 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 13 hours ago) and read 3853 times:

Quoting Zkpilot (Reply 3):

not necessarily and note that Boeing is involved... they're the ones that come up with whether or not an aircraft can run on whatever... of course NZ would require CAA (NZL) and CASA (AUS) approval.

In this case it would have to come from the engine manufacturer but I see your point.

I AM the No-spotalotacus.

RoseFlyer From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 8739 posts, RR: 52
Reply 6, posted (5 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 13 hours ago) and read 3839 times:

That's really interesting. I didn't know there was much work in the field of biofuels in aviation. If they test the fuel to be equivalent to Kerosene that the airlines use, then it would be exciting to see the fuel used in real flights. Its a good idea to only use it on one engine, but I assume that if the proper chemical formula in the fuel can assure safety.

If you have never designed an airplane part before, let the real designers do the work!

QF772 From Australia, joined Aug 2006, 99 posts, RR: 0
Reply 7, posted (5 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 13 hours ago) and read 3763 times:

Quoting ZKSUJ (Reply 4):
Better patent the idea before some other country steals the idea

How about a Swap, you can have Russell Crowe back

Eagles may soar but weasles don't get sucked into jet engines

NZAA From New Zealand, joined Jul 2005, 163 posts, RR: 0
Reply 8, posted (5 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 3502 times:

You can keep Russel Crowe !!!!
Someone was telling me the other day that turbines can run on coal dust.

Planes Piloted Tecnam P2002 JF, Cessna 172R, Cessna 152, Airbus A320

Zkpilot From New Zealand, joined Mar 2006, 4739 posts, RR: 10
Reply 9, posted (5 years 10 months 1 week 1 day 5 hours ago) and read 3254 times:

Quoting NZAA (Reply 8):
Someone was telling me the other day that turbines can run on coal dust.

They wouldn't last long however... particles like that eat up turbine blades like theres no tomorrow... look at that BA 747 that flew thru the Ash cloud... (sure it wasn't coal that was combustable, but the particles were like a sandblaster).

54 types. 38 countries. 24 airlines.

Glom From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2005, 2803 posts, RR: 10
Reply 10, posted (5 years 10 months 1 week 22 hours ago) and read 1625 times:

These biofuels are simply not sustainable. Depending on photosynthesis to supply our energy needs real time will simply lead to large ecological trauma and, in the case of the botched pork barrel politics of America, economic hardship.

If you want to get off fossil fuels while still consuming, you're going to have to burn something with a little more kick.

Warreng24 From United States of America, joined Nov 2005, 682 posts, RR: 0
Reply 11, posted (5 years 10 months 1 week 22 hours ago) and read 1611 times:

I wonder why the Engine Manufactuer's aren't involved as well?

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