Boeing is teaming up with Etihad Airways, Takreer, Total and the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology for a new initiative that will support a sustainable aviation biofuel industry in the United Arab Emirates.
According to a media release, the BIOjet Abu Dhabi: Flight Path to Sustainability initiative will focus on research and development and investments in feedstock production and refining capability in the UAE and on the global scale.
The announcement follows Etihad Airways’ Boeing 777 biofuel demonstration flight in Abu Dhabi. The biofuel was partially converted from plants by Total and refined into jet fuel by Takreer, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC).
Biofuel emits 50 percent less carbon dioxide than fossil fuel over its lifecycle and UAE is now one of the few countries that are capable of producing and flying on their own aviation fuel.
“In collaboration with our key partners, our goal is to support and help drive the commercialization of sustainable aviation fuel inAbu Dhabi, the region and also globally,” said Etihad Airways President and CEO James Hogan.
“We have made some important first steps in this process and our continued focus will be to develop further initiatives such as this which will facilitate the availability of sustainable aviation biofuels for Etihad Airways in the coming years.”
Boeing and Etihad Airways are among the founding partners of the Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium, hosted by the Masdar Institute in Abu Dhabi. The consortium is focused on the research and development of salt-tolerant plants that would be raw material for the same refining processes used to produce renewable fuel for the Etihad Airways flight, according to the media release.
“With further commitment and investment, the U.A.E., a global leader in commercial aviation, is well-positioned to lead efforts to make our industry more sustainable,” said Jeffrey Johnson, president, Boeing Middle East.
“Boeing works with partners around the world to advance sustainable biofuel development and sees great opportunity for BIOjet Abu Dhabi to have a positive impact in the U.A.E. and globally.”
Boeing collaborates with airlines, research institutions, governments and other stakeholders to develop sustainable biofuel supply chains around the world, including the United States, Middle East, China, Brazil, Europe and Australia.
