Right now, despite global
society’s best hopes and dreams
for a green world, only a small
(albeit growing) number of daily
flights in commercial aviation utilize
biofuels.
Just
click this global biofuel flight
map and see for yourself.
United
Airlines, SAS, KLM, Lufthansa and
some others have marshaled scheduled
biofueled flights, which measured
against global airline operations
are a modest first step in the right
direction.
SAS,
it should be mentioned, is the home
base airline of the Nordic countries,
where major movement of biofuel
technology for aviation is under
development.
You
may have noticed, dear reader, United
Airlines’ efforts to bring
attention to their bio-fuel pioneering
efforts in FlyingTypers for the past year.
We
asked our colleague and old friend
Robert Arendal, who founded and
today is the driving force at the
‘Sustainable Biofuel Network,’
to break the biofuel conundrum down
for us. He graciously agreed to
create four stories that will be
featured in FlyingTypers in 2017 and on our website forever.
Please
direct your thoughts and contribution
here.
Biofuel
Drives Aviation Future
Back when fuelling an all cargo
aircraft cost “10 cents a
gallon,” during what some
might term the “good old days,”
Robert Arendal had just started
with Cargolux Airlines International
in Luxembourg.
The
year was 1972.
“We
were calculating the operating cost
for a CL44 Freighter flight to somewhere
in the world with jet fuel prices
of US .10 per gallon.
“Today,
forty-five years later, fuel costs
have increased to between USD 3.00
to 3.50 per gallon—a tough
new world for the aviation industry.”
Christer
Saw The Need
“Christer Salén, one
of the founding fathers of Cargolux
and long-time member of the CV Board
of Directors, said to me after I
had retired from Cargolux:
“‘Robert,
you better look at this.’
He wanted to get the aviation industry
to move away from fossil Jet A1
kerosene-based fuels and on to renewable
and sustainable biofuels for aviation.
“Christer
insisted on biofuels based on different
types of biomass and waste, as well
as residues, such as forestry residues,
in order to reduce CO2/GHG emissions
and pollution.
“‘We
must find and utilize a more stable
and reasonable energy base, avoiding
the risk of political and speculative
influence on the aviation industry’s
only source for fuel,’ Christer
insisted.”
Put
His Money On The Table
“At that time, Christer had
sold his shares in Cargolux and
among other interests taken a small
involvement in a biofuel project
in Eritrea, Africa, and also started
a pilot project in North West Mexico.”
Road
To Discovery
“I decided to have a first-hand
look at the project and traveled
to Houston to meet the project leader
of the Integrated Seawater Agricultural
System (ISAS), or Seawater Foundation
(SWF). I got a good introduction
from Carl Hodges, the founder and
a highly interesting and creative
gentleman.
“I
then flew on to Mexico to visit
the pilot site.
“In
Mexico I learned that an advantage
of this initiative is that halophytes
can be irrigated by seawater, and
also can be established in areas
that are otherwise unsuitable for
growing food products.
“The
Mexico pilot phase not only grew
halophytes but was also able to
incorporate shrimp and fish farms
as well with halophytes, such as
the Salicornia plants (excellent
biomass for biofuels) and mangrove
trees that absorb and store GHG/CO2.
“Interestingly,
this concept has also been developed
in Egypt and Abu Dhabi (Masdar City)
and has the support of Etihad Airlines,
Boeing, and others.
“That
activity generated in the development
and search for alternative fuels
has the added benefit of providing
new employment and business opportunities
in areas of the world that need
new revenue sources for its population.”
Other
Biofuel Sources
“Halophytes are not the only
interesting plants to use as feedstocks
for biofuels; a number of other
feedstocks and biomasses are available.
“In
the Northern hemisphere, forestry
residues are available in abundance
as well as various plants, household
waste, and in the future (awaiting
improved and cheaper technologies),
algae.
Feedstock
Availability
“The Nordic Report on sustainable
jet fuel lists the following sources:
“Several
domestic feedstock candidates for
sustainable jet fuel exist in the
northern hemisphere, and as such
in the Nordic countries.
“The
most ideal candidates in the foreseeable
future, with respect to availability
and price, are wood residuals, wheat
straw, and organic waste fractions.
“All
the feedstocks face heavy competition
from alternate uses in production
of heat and power and biofuels for
road transport.
“Wood
residuals from logging, pulp, paper,
and timber industries are used in
vast amounts in Finland, Norway,
and Sweden. Estimates of the total
potential range are well over 250
PJ annually.
“The
price for wood residuals range between
EUR 5–8/GJ and is highly dependent
on the specific source and region
of origin.
“Wheat
straw left to compost in large quantities
at fields in Denmark and Sweden
amount to a potential of 37 PJ annually.
“The
price for wheat straw ranges between
EUR 5–6/GJ.”
Waste
Candidates For Biofuel
“In theory, all organic waste
fractions can be used in sustainable
jet fuel production; in particular,
vegetable and animal waste oils
are highly suited.
“The
total potential is complex to estimate.
Prices are highly variable, with
negative estimates for fractions
with a gate-fee and up to EUR 5/GJ.
“There
exists no available data on the
cost, but import of waste fractions
from outside the Nordic countries
may even prove a cost effective
solution (including transportation
costs), and is therefore also considered
as a last option.”
Other
Sources
“Other sources of feedstock
are also possible, but not currently
available in any significant amount
in the region.
“These
include energy crops and marine
resources, such as seaweed and algae.
“In
the longer term, these feedstocks
may become available, given new
processing technologies and developments
in their cultivation.”
The
process of producing biofuels.
|
Technologies
Available Right Now
“In 2017 the Nordic countries
have strong competencies in biorefining
technology. Within a biochemical
conversion route, this includes
suppliers for pre-treatment of lignocellulosic
biomass by enzymatic hydrolysis,
as well as yeast cultures for fermentation,
and within a thermochemical route
it includes gasification of biomass
and reforming of syngas.
“A
range of suppliers also provide
technologies for producing intermediates,
currently used in Nordic production
of other biofuels such as renewable
diesel, which can potentially also
be used for sustainable jet fuel
production.”
Nordic
Tech
“Finally refining technologies
relevant for all biofuels is also
part of the Nordic technology portfolio.
“A
handful of firms are currently in
active pursuit of sustainable jet
fuel production. With the exception
of NESTE in Finland, who has the
capacity and technology to produce
sustainable jet fuel, all of these
other actors are at a lower technological
maturity and require significant
development before they can be considered
part of a possible commercial scale
production.
“However,
one or two of these potential producers
have new innovative technologies
that if they can live up to their
‘promises’ may offer
SJFs at very competitive prices
versus fossil fuels.”
Best
Prospects Ahead
“The most promising pathway
scenarios for Nordic production
of sustainable jet fuel is HEFA/HEFA+, based on waste-oils and oil crops,
Fischer-Tropsch (FT), based
on wood residuals, and Lignocellulosic
Alcohol-to-Jet (AtJ).
“These
pathways have a maturity level in
terms of technology and infrastructure
that can make biofuel production
realistic in the short to medium
term.
“The
scenarios involve a more available
and affordable feedstock production
in comparison to other pathways.
“They
are also already available to some
extent in two or more of the Nordic
countries.
“Lastly,
all three pathway scenarios have
potential Nordic suppliers of technology
and roles in the different stages
of the scenarios identified.”
Which
Biofuel Source Is Best?
“Comparing the three scenarios,
the HEFA-based scenario is superior
to the two other scenarios when
it comes to maturity and cost efficiency.
“Also,
HEFA has the lowest production complexity
and is therefore most attractive
as an initial technology.
“This
scenario is thus likely to be initiated
first, around 2020 (provided that
the demand increases), while the
FT and the AtJ scenario are expected
to be initiated towards 2025–2030.
“The
downside of HEFA is the limited
availability of waste oils as a
feedstock in the Nordic countries
and generally poorer conditions
for cultivating oil crops like Jatropha
or Camelina compared to warmer countries.
“The
FT scenario has an international
comparative advantage, as it utilizes
the forest biomass in Finland, Norway,
and Sweden, which represents the
largest forest resource in Europe,
with an existing, well-established
industry and infrastructure for
collection and utilization of the
feedstock. Most Nordic forests are
also in a state of net growth, and
this extraction can be increased
if economically and sustainably
viable.
“In
terms of life cycle GHG reductions,
the FT scenario is most likely to
achieve the highest performance
out of the three scenarios.
“The
AtJ scenario is by comparison the
most immature technology, as well
as presently the most expensive
production process.
“All
technologies have different levels
of production footprints in each
country.
“The
downstream of the HEFA-based scenario
will most likely be physically located
in Finland, due to infrastructure.
However, long-term expansion could
in principle be located in any of
the Nordic countries.
“The
FT-based scenario is likely to be
produced in Norway, Sweden, or Finland,
close to available forest biomass
and forestry/pulp and paper production
infrastructure.
“The
AtJ scenario will especially benefit
Denmark or Sweden, due to the utilization
of straw.
“Iceland
has large access to low cost energy,
which could be utilized for hydrogen
production, though any other production
processes are unlikely to be located
physically in Iceland.”
Location
For Production Wide Open
“The location of the final
processing steps of refining for
all scenarios can, theoretically,
also be located in any of the Nordic
countries, as the transportation
costs of the more energy dense,
intermediate products are low, compared
to the costs of transporting pure
feedstocks.”
A
Danish Biomass Power Plant. |
Why
Biofuel In Nordic Countries?
“In comparison to the rest
of the world, the study identifies
the following advantages for the
Nordic region in engaging in sustainable
jet fuel production:
- Commercial
scale production facilities
already exist.
- Placing biofuel
production’s refining
stages in retrofitted units
or integrated close by has made
available an increasing over-capacity
in refining.
- Knowledge
and feedstock capacity allows
the three most promising scenarios
to exist in parallel.
- The bio refinery
concept is already well established
in Nordic energy production
and is closely linked to an
increasing awareness of circular
economy and the utilization
of by-products.
- The Nordic
countries have strong competencies
and technological know-how within
advanced utilization of forest
biomass, such as gasification
and extraction of higher value
products in bio refining.
- There is a
basis for production synergies
and increasing the production
differentiability between biofuels
and biochemical.
- Fermentation
and enzymatic hydrolysis technologies
exist, with similarly strong
technological competencies and
know-how.
- The positive
impact on climate mitigation
and socio-economy.
- Catalytic
technology for refining of fuels
and reforming/conditioning of
syngas exist.
- There are
numerous types of feedstock
and biomass that can be used
to produce biofuels, facilitate
production opportunities in
most parts of the world, and
again create new business opportunities
around the globe.”
The
Regulators
“Sustainable jet fuels for
aviation are highly regulated and
must meet strict specifications
in order to be used in both commercial
and military aviation.
“Jet
fuels are approved by, among others,
the American Society for Testing
and Materials (ASTM) and are added
as an annex to the ASTM D7566 standard.”
Accepted
& Under Review
“As of yet, three pathways
have achieved an ASTM certification,
three are under review, several
are in the testing phase, and others
are in earlier stages of development.
“ASTM-certified
biofuels represent no technical
or safety problem in flights. Currently,
the standard approves the following
fuel categories:
- Hydrogenated
Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA)
- Fischer-Tropsch
(FT) based on biomass (BtL -
Biomass to Liquid)
- Renewable
Synthesized Iso-Paraffinic (SIP)
fuel (renewable farnesane hydrocarbon).”
Other
Options
“Other options include ATJ
Alcohol to Jet Fuel and Hydrogenated
Pyrolysis Oils (HPO).
“As
EC’s European Biofuels Technology
Platform (EBTP) describes, globally, research organizations
and fuel producers are currently
at work developing various sustainable
feedstocks and conversion technologies
for production of biofuels for aviation.
The airlines and aircraft manufacturers
support their work.
“In
the short term, HEFA appears to
be the most promising alternative
to supplying significant amounts
of biofuel for aviation. In the
medium term, the most promising
alternative is drop-in FT-fuels.”
What
Flies Ahead
“The aviation industry is
unlikely to rely on just one type
of feedstock.
“Blends
of biofuels from different types
of feedstocks, along with jet fuel,
will power aircraft.
“Biomass
sources for advanced bio-jet fuels
include oil crops such as Jatropha
and Camelina, waste fats and oils,
and, in the longer term, biomass
sugars, algae, and halophytes (IEA Bioenergy 2012, ATAG 2009, EBTP 2014).”
Testing,
Testing, Testing
“Testing of biofuels is crucial
to determining suitability for aviation.
“In
the testing process, which aims
to maintain the highest standards
in safety, biofuels must undergo
dozens of experiments in the laboratory,
on the ground, and in the air (ATAG
2009).
“Many
major airlines and air forces have
been involved in some kind of test
flights with biofuels and the number
of commercial flights continues
to grow, indicating the increasing
interest in biofuels for aviation.
“Biofuels
have been used in commercial passenger
flights since the autumn of 2011,
and several subsequent biofuels
test flights are included on this
page.”
Prioritize
Biomass For SJF?
“Viewing
numerous alternatives for producing
sustainable energy for electric
power for heating, various industries
like trains, buses, metro, EVs (Electric
Vehicles) and many other land-based
trades, the question has been raised
if biomass should be prioritized
for aviation. ATAG has recommended
that the EU evaluate this option,
as it’s feared that insufficient
biomass is available to meet the
energy needs of all types of transportation
as well as power plants and the
like, especially as these land based
activities have other options. Aviation,
on the other hand, only has biofuels
produced from feedstocks and biomass
for sustainable aviation jet fuels.
This subject is up for discussion
in the EU and elsewhere; if it remains
unsolved, it could clearly complicate
and delay a smooth transition from
a fossil-based world toward a much-needed
clean, sustainable, and renewable
society that will safeguard a healthy
environment and planet for generations
to come.”
Robert
Arendal
Air
cargo pioneer, dreamer, and doer
Robert Arendal has over 45 years
of experience in the air cargo industry,
occupying various shipping and air
cargo management positions in Europe
as well as the U.S. In 1970 he became
part of the management team that
founded Cargolux Airlines International
SA, spending 29 years as Senior
Vice President Sales, Marketing
and Cargo Services as well as Deputy
CEO.
Mr.
Arendal is a founding father and
first Chairman of TIACA (The International
Air Cargo Association). He is a
past President and presently a member
of TIACA's President Council and
entered the legendary TIACA Hall
of Fame in 1997.
He
is co-founder of the Cool Chain
Association and has been its chairman
for 10 years.
More
recently, Mr. Arendal became a founding
member of the ‘Sustainable
Biofuel Network,’ a group
of stakeholders facilitating aviation’s
transition from fossil fuels to
sustainable and renewable alternative
biofuels.
Up
Next: Political support,
SJF Investors, and much more in
the journey to achieve a global,
sustainable aviation industry. Look
for that additional coverage in
an upcoming article.