Abu Dhabi saltwater weed sparks biofuel hopes

A project that tests commercial viability of using integrated saltwater weed to provide biofuels for aviation has been unveiled at the World Future Energy Summit (WFES) in Abu Dhabi.

The innovative biofuels project could lead to commercial aircraft giving the normal aviation fuel a wide berth, as Abu Dhabi strives to achieve a 7 per cent target of energy renewables by the year 2020.

The research, which is being undertaken by Abu Dhabi’s Masdar Institute in partnership with US aerospace company Boeing, Etihad Airways and BP demonstrates how the battle for renewable future energy has gained momentum.

During a joint press conference at the summit grounds, reporters were bemused to imagine how a humble salt-loving desert plant that thrives in the emirate’s plains could likely enter the energy fray and threaten the current multi-billion fuel market.

"Such innovative projects are at the heart of Abu Dhabi’s determination not only to diversify its economy away from reliance on fossil fuels, but also to establish itself as a world centre for the generation of sustainable solutions to the global energy crisis," said Dr John Perkins, the Provost of Masdar Institute.

"The initiative is designed to develop a sustainable regional approach to biofuels," he added.

Global aviation’s carbon emissions target

Salicornia, a salty, crunchy-stemmed salad herb also called sea asparagus, glasswort and pickleweed, has oily seeds that can be harvested and processed to yield fuels resembling the petrol and diesel refined from crude oil.

The International Air Transport Association has set targets to cut carbon emissions from the aviation industry by 1.5 per cent annually over the next 10 years and by 2050 to reduce them to half the level they were in 2005. To achieve that, said Paul Kinscherff, the president of Boeing Middle East, major airlines expect to start switching to new commercial fuel formulations containing biofuels within the next three to five years.

The innovative five-year project, to be located on Abu Dhabi salt flats, will take place over an area of around 2 sq km.

With the increasing air traffic in the Middle East, the focus on the salt-tolerant salicornia had been discussed for some time, but the Masdar project is the first major advance in salicornia development since the establishment of Seawater Foundation project, which has been cultivating salicornia for years in Mexico.

According to Perkins, “this project demonstrates Masdar Institute’s strong desire to establish a world-class university dedicated to alternative energy, environmental technologies and sustainability."

The integrated approach uses saltwater to create an aquaculture-based farming system in parallel with the growth of mangrove forests and salicornia. These biomass sources can be sustainably harvested and used to generate clean energy, aviation biofuels and other products.

Other airlines that have tested eco-friendly alternative fuel include Qatar Airways, Airbus and US’s Continental airlines.

Airlines seek alternative fuels

On November 13 at the Dubai Air Show, Qatar Airways and other partners signed an agreement to research the potential benefits of Synthetic Jet Fuel in aviation engines.

The study addresses the feasibility and potential benefits of using gas to liquid (GTL) synthetic jet fuels. GTL is a technology that takes natural gas and converts it to liquid kerosene.

The focus of the research will be on evaluating potential improvements in local air quality, fuel economy and overall reduction in carbon dioxide and other emissions.

GTL synthetic jet fuels are currently being developed to meet international standards required for use in aviation under the auspices of the industry-wide Commercial Alternative Aviation Fuels Initiative (CAAFI).

Akbar Al Baker, Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Airways, said: “Qatar Airways has one of the most fuel efficient fleets in the world and is committed to being in the forefront of environmentally-friendly synthetic fuel development for commercial aviation.”

Similarly, Christian Scherer, Executive Vice-President, Strategy and Future Programmes for Airbus, urged players in the industry to pool together in a united front to research options for alternative fuels, adding “Airbus is committed to becoming an eco-efficient enterprise, growing and adding value with less and less impact on the environment.”

The British Airways staff newspaper, “BA News”, announced that BA tested four alternative fuels, adding that the term “alternative fuels” was used instead of biofuels because of the negative association of the term with first generation ethanol. The company said that it would test four fuels, and was seeking up to 15,000 gallons of fuel for the test.

Japan Airlines, Lufthansa and Continental have also conducted successful biofuels test flights. For the Continental test the Boeing 737, powered by CFM engines, operated with a 50 per cent biofuel blend in the right side engine during the two-hour test programme.