British Airways in New Jet Biofuel Contract

Airline British Airways has entered a contract that will see Europe’s first waste-to-biofuel conversion plant specifically for jet aircraft fuel constructed at a site in London. The plant will eventually be able to process a good 500,000 tonnes of waste per annum – sufficient to create millions of gallons of alternative jet fuel.

It is anticipated that this new renewable fuel facility will be up and running in around four years time and – once it is – just half its fuel output will be enough to power all British Airways’ flights from nearby London City Airport – the airline said in a statement. Its fuel output will only be enough to cover approximately two per cent of its London Heathrow Airport operations, however

BA: Jet Biofuel

British Airways/BA has highlighted how its new jet biofuel site will result in reduced waste levels at landfill sites and how this, in turn, will decrease associated methane output. Methane – a greenhouse gas – is considered more damaging to the environment than CO2.

The terms of the new jet fuel deal will see US firm Solena Group actually building the site, and BA having exclusive rights to all the fuel it produces. Ideally, the plant will draw on high-carbon waste as its primary source.

Biofuel Plant

The biofuel plant will use a process called biomass catalytic gasification to create so-termed ‘bio-syn-gas.’ This gas will then undergo biofuel conversion using the Fischer-Tropsch process established by Franz Fischer and Hans Tropsch – a pair of German scientists – during the 1920s.

Superfluous material created as a result of the fuel conversion will be drawn upon in two ways. Firstly, it will be used as a power source for the plant itself, and secondly it will be fed into the national grid.

“This unique partnership with Solena will pave the way for realising our ambitious goal of reducing net carbon emissions by 50 per cent by 2050”, BA Chief Executive, Willie Walsh, stated. “We believe it will lead to the production of a real sustainable alternative to jet kerosene. We are absolutely determined to reduce our impact on climate change and are proud to lead the way on aviation's environmental initiatives.”

While the UK is currently not legally able to draw on this type of fuel, British Airways believes it will have obtained the necessary certification in time for the plant’s opening, which is scheduled to take place in 2014.

In late 2009, Enviro News reported on a landmark moment within the history of alternative fuels – the first natural gas fuel flight, which was carried out by a Qatar Airways Airbus A340.