This week's news on biofuel.
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Only biofuels will cut plane emissions | Ben Caldecott
16 Maywww.guardian.co.uk
We need something that can deliver emission reductions from existing fleets of planes – and the solution already exists
As a small, maritime trading nation Britain has always been some distance from big international markets. Our ability to visit far-off places and people, and their access to us, has always been at the heart of our ability to punch above our weight in the world, whether that's commercially, culturally or diplomatically.
In the past we were dependent on ships, now we are reliant on commercial airlines, as well as the Channel Tunnel and secure data networks. This infrastructure is critical for our future, particularly as we look to major economies like India, China and Brazil for export opportunities. But it is also vital for sustaining our outward facing society and culture; one that's confident engaging with the world and welcoming of its diversity.
Rail and video-conferencing will help, but air travel will remain absolutely essential and more people are going to fly, especially to and from a networked, diverse, outward-facing island nation like our own.
We should embrace this, but we must also recognise that flying more will also have negative consequences, in particular greenhouse gas emissions. The positive progress on including aviation in Europe's carbon trading scheme this week is welcome, but neither that nor more efficient aircraft will deal with the industry's climate problem. As I will argue, only biofuels can do that. Aviation currently accounts for a relatively small proportion of global carbon emissions: 6% of UK, 4% of European Union and 2% of world. This will change fast though, with global aviation expected to grow at 5% a year for at least the next 15 years. If so, by 2050 aviation emissions will account for up to 20% of global emissions, making tackling global warming significantly harder.
Though new airport capacity in the UK is essential, plans for it must convincingly address this important pollution challenge.
Including aviation in the Europe's Emissions Trading Scheme is a step in the right direction, but at current carbon prices it will not spur the innovations needed to cut pollution. Some say the aviation sector has a good track record of improving the fuel efficiency of new aircraft, achieving an average annual improvement of about 1.5%. But these emissions savings will be completely overwhelmed by growing global demand for aviation.
So we desperately need something that can deliver a step-change in emission reductions from existing fleets, particularly as planes built today will be in service for many years to come. The only option is to replace existing jet fuel (kerosene) with an alternative that can deliver deep emission reductions and be used to current aircraft. Fortunately, this technology exists: sustainable bio jet fuels. Made from advanced feedstocks and able to provide significant life-cycle emission reductions and meet other stringent sustainability standards, these fuels can be produced today and have already received certification for use in commercial jet aircraft. They can also be produced now at costs not far above the high and volatile price of jet fuel, with Bloomberg predicting that they could potentially reach price parity with kerosene in 2016.
There is an opportunity for the UK to align its need to develop new airport capacity with the development of sustainable bio jet fuels at scale. We should work to ensure that any new airport provide airlines with the best biofuels available.
Airport operators should have to provide airlines with a blend of jet fuel that has a significant and rising proportion of sustainable bio jet fuel. This would significantly reduce emissions from flights. The mandate should start at an achievable level, say where the blend would have to be 15% less polluting than jet fuel today based on the strictest sustainability standards. It could then ratchet up to reach a point where the blend was 60% less polluting within a reasonable time-frame.
Airlines would benefit from a genuine and cost-effective emission reduction strategy, which might even attract environmentally conscious flyers. Not many hubs would need to follow the UK before the majority of international flights used sustainable bio jet fuel blends, perhaps only New York, Dubai, Hong Kong and Singapore need change, in addition to London.
An ambitious blending mandate would send exactly the signal required to accelerate the development of sustainable bio jet fuels. Airport operators would be required to demonstrate they had a plan to meet the incoming mandate and would sign supply contracts with developers, which would spur innovation and investment. The UK government could also ensure that our leading biotech, aviation and university sectors work in unison to create solutions, through targeted research programmes and tax relief for collaborative work.
The luddite wing of the environmental movement will think such proposals sacrilegious – their only solution is to stop flying. But the reality is that there will be and should be more international travel, particularly to and from the UK. The challenge is to make this as least polluting as is possible, while also minimising local airport impacts. By aligning the debate about airport capacity sensibly with environmental objectives, we can make a significant dent in aviation emissions globally as well as guarantee sufficient airport capacity to keep UK plc open for both business and pleasure.
• Ben Caldecott is head of policy at Climate Change Capital
guardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds -
Forest-sourced biofuel is bad for the environment, new study warns
15 MayEnvironmental News Network
A new study from the University of California, Davis, provides a deeper understanding of the complex global impacts of deforestation on greenhouse gas emissions. The study, published this week in the journal Nature Climate Change, reports that the volume of greenhouse gas released when a forest is cleared depends on how the trees will be used and in which part of the world the trees are grown. -
Discovery of Plant Proteins May Boost Agricultural Yields and Biofuel Production
15 MayRenewableEnergyWorld.com
Scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and Iowa State University discovered a family of plant proteins that play a role in the production of seed oils, substances important for animal and human nutrition, biorenewable chemicals and biofuels. -
'Hydrogen is tomorrow's biofuel' say scientists
15 MayPhysOrg.com
Researchers from the University of Birmingham are creating clean hydrogen from food waste paving the way for a bioenergy alternative for the future. -
Discovery of plant proteins may boost agricultural yields and biofuel production
15 MayEnergy Daily
La Jolla CA (SPX) May 16, 2012
Scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and Iowa State University discovered a family of plant proteins that play a role in the production of seed oils, substances important for animal and human nutrition, biorenewable chemicals and biofuels. Scoring a rare scientific hat trick, the researchers identified three related proteins in thale cress plants (Arabidopsis thaliana) t -
Lawrence Livermore work may improve the efficiency of the biofuel production cycle
15 MayEnergy Daily
Berkeley CA (SPX) May 16, 2012
By deciphering the makeup of a bacterium found in the soil of a tropical rain forest, scientists may have a better understanding of how to more efficiently produce biofuels. The production of liquid fuels derived from plant biomass offers a promising technology for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on fossil fuels. While sugars stored within the plant cell wall, known as lig -
Hawaiian Electric moving toward biofuel use at Oahu power plant
15 MayPacific Business News of Honolulu
Hawaiian Electric Co. is beginning the process of developing plans to build fuel tanks and other equipment so that the utility can use biofuel at its Kahe power plant in Leeward Oahu.The Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc. (NYSE:HE) subsidiary has filed an application with the City and County of Honolulu, which initiates the preliminary permitting process for the project.“Our application for the modification of the Kahe Generating Station Special Management Area permit also covers four other... -
New research may improve the efficiency of the biofuel production cycle
14 MayPhysOrg.com
(Phys.org) -- Using new experimental methods and computational analysis, a team of scientists from the Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), led by Lawrence Livermore's Michael Thelen, discovered how certain bacteria can tolerate manmade toxic chemicals used in making biofuels. -
Republicans Order Navy to Quit Buying Biofuels
14 MayWired - Top Stories
On Monday, the U.S. Navy will officially announce the ships for its demonstration of the "Great Green Fleet" -- an entire aircraft carrier strike group, powered by biofuels and other eco-friendly energy sources. If a powerful Congressional panel has its way, it could the last time the Navy ever uses biofuels to run its ships and jets. -
BioFuel Energy Reports First Quarter 2012 Results
11 MayIBTimes.com - PR Center
BIOFUEL ENERGY CORP. (NASDAQ:BIOF), an ethanol production company, today announced its first quarter 2012 results. ÃÂ For the quarter ended March...
