The Worldwide Push for Aviation Biofuels

Powered by a Lycoming IO-540-K1J5 piston engine, the EMB-202A uses 100% ethanol fuel derived from sugar cane. Brazil has already developed a nationwide network for sugar-cane-derived ethanol fuel for motor vehicles, creating the supply framework which made the EMB-202A both feasible and competitive. Further, maintenance costs are lower than for its conventionally powered sister.

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Unfortunately, ethanol is totally unsuitable as a fuel for turbine (turbofan, turbojet and turboprop) engines, as it lacks the required energy density. Jet and turboprop engines use kerosine-grade fuels, sometimes referred to as aviation turbine fuels but more frequently simply called jet fuels. The most widely used type is Jet A-1. For this reason, research into biofuels for jet and turboprop aircraft has been focused on what are called second-generation biofuels.

… (T)hey do release about 89% less emissions over their lifecycles than fossil fuels do. Biofuels also do not contain impurities such as sulphur, so reducing sulphur dioxide and soot emissions as well.

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On December 3, 2014, a Boeing 787 ‘ecoDemonstrator’ aircraft became the first aircraft to fly using “green diesel” fuel, widely used in terrestrial transport. The aircraft flew using a blend of 15% green diesel and 85% jet fuel to power its port (left side) engine. Green diesel uses vegetable oils, waste cooking oils and waste animal fats as its feedstocks.  READ MORE