Airbus has formed a partnership with one of China’s main academic institutions to study the advancement of aviation biofuels.
A joint project between the European planemaker and Beijing’s Tsinghua University is already underway to identify and develop alternative fuels in China.
In phase one, the partners will assess suitable materials to be used as the basis for biofuels. Once these have been identified, phase two will narrow down the most promising alternative fuel solutions.
The first results are due to be analysed in the second half of 2012, with the goal of completing full sustainability analysis by the beginning of 2013. Two main fuel sources identified so far include used cooking oil and algae. From 2013 onwards, Airbus and Tsinghua University will look at scaling-up the production process to achieve quantities suitable for commercial use.
“We are privileged to be working with our Chinese partners to determine how best we can contribute to a sustainable aviation sector in China” said Frédéric Eychenne, Airbus’ New Energies Programme Manager. “The commercialisation of alternative fuels is one of the essential ingredients in our quest to achieving ambitious environmental targets in aviation.”
Professor Zhang Xiliang, Tsinghua University’s Director of Institute of Energy, Environment & Economy, said the project would aim to evaluate “the possibility of social, economic, market and technology change” involved in developing biofuels, as well as the “cost, obstacles and challenges”.
“We believe that the research will have positive effects on energy conservation, emissions reduction and climate change addressing in Chinese aviation sector,” Prof Zhang said.
China is rapidly becoming a world leader in biofuel development. Earlier this month, China’s state planemaker COMAC, along with Boeing, opened a new research centre aimed at turning used cooking oil into jet fuel.
