Fuel - Articles and news items

Keeping India flying

Issue 4 2011 / 8 August 2011 /

As the Indian aviation market continues its growth, the involvement of Shell Aviation Fuels has had much influence. International Airport Review spoke to CEO Sanjay Varkey to find out why the Indian market will continue to flourish.

IAR: Shell Aviation first began its operations in India back in 2008 at Bangalore and Hyderabad Airports respectively, with nine further airports in the three years since. Has the growth in aviation in that part of the world meant that the expansion into those nine other airports was inevitable? Could it have been quicker?

SV: When Shell MRPL Aviation Fuels and Services Private Limited (SMA) launched aviation fuel operations in India in 2008, Bangalore and Hyderabad were the country’s only two open access airports. Further expansions in India needed to align with access, permissions and developments at airports. In the two years since then, SMA has concluded industry first infrastructure sharing agreements in India that have enabled a rapid network expansion. Shell is currently the only multinational oil company with a government license to market aviation fuels in India. The network expansion into 12 airports across the country reinforces our strong focus on this market, which is growing at a remarkable rate. (more…)

An alternative way of thinking

Issue 2 2011 / 11 April 2011 /

In the early afternoon of 7 January, 2009, a Continental Airlines Boeing 737 airliner lifted off the tarmac of Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport with a blend of biofuel and conventional petroleum-derived fuel feeding one of its two CFM International jet engines.

This event, along with three similar demon stration flights by Air New Zealand, Japan Airlines, and KLM marked a major step forward in addressing one of commercial aviation’s most pressing concerns. The airlines need sustainable alternative fuels to address a myriad of environmental and economic challenges, and these flights demonstrated that they could soon have what they want. (more…)

Aviation Emissions, EU ETS and measurement requirements

Issue 5 2010 / 1 October 2010 /

From January 2012, aircraft operators whose flights arrive in and depart from EU27 (plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein airports) will have to comply with a CO2 emissions cap, as part of an expanded EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). While IATA recognises that some economic measures can help to mitigate emissions, IATA remains opposed to national and regional cap-and-trade schemes for international civil aviation. This article presents the airline industry objectives and targets for addressing its emissions, the challenges faced in complying with the EU ETS requirements, and measures to be taken to find suitable outcomes. (more…)

Fuel Cells Flying High!

Issue 4 2010 / 10 August 2010 /

The aviation sector is under growing pressure to regulate the emissions of aircraft and airport vehicles. This calls for new approaches that will reduce fossil fuel use, increase energy efficiency and reduce noise pollution. While aviation experts generally do not foresee the use of fuel cells for primary propulsion for larger aircraft, the technology shows great promise in helping to improve environmental performance, and respond to a future where aviation emissions are no longer free. (more…)

A survey of airline pilots regarding fuel conservation procedures for taxi operations

Issue 3 2010 / 9 June 2010 /

Aircraft taxi operations are a significant source of energy consumption and emissions at airports. In 2007, an estimated 4,000 tons of hydrocarbons, 8,000 tons of nitrogen oxides and 45,000 tons of carbon monoxide were emitted through taxi-out operations at U.S. airports1. These pollutants contribute to low-altitude emissions, directly impact local nonattainment of air pollution standards, and represent an endangerment to human health and welfare.

Given increasing fuel prices and concern about aviation-related environmental impacts, airlines have implemented a number of practices to reduce fuel burn during ground operations. (more…)

Paving the way for alternative fuels

Issue 3 2010 / 9 June 2010 /

An aviation first: As part of the United States Air Force (USAF) long-term energy vision, the Alternative Fuels Certification Office (AFCO), consisting of a small cadre of systems engineers and managers, was formed to develop and execute repeatable processes to identify viable fuel candidates and certify them for fleet-wide operations. These activities require substantial collaboration with the fuels experts at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), the Air Force Petroleum Agency (AFPET), and the Defense Energy Support Centre (DESC). The AFCO is nearing completion of its original objective of certifying a 50/50 blend of its traditional JP-8 and Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene (JP-8/SPK) by 2011. The synthetic component of this blend is derived using the Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) process that converts coal, natural gas, or biomass to fuel. Concurrently, the AFCO has undertaken a newer initiative to certify all platforms on a 50/50 blend of JP-8 and Hydro-processed Renewable Jet fuel (JP-8/HRJ), biofuels derived from plant or algal oils or animal fats, by 2013. (more…)

Developments in jet fuel handling

Issue 3 2010 / 9 June 2010 /

National governments worldwide have mandated the use of renewable components in road transport fuels. One of the most common options is to blend Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (FAME) (derived from rape seed, palm, soy, tallow etc) into automotive diesel to produce a ‘biodiesel blend’. The European standard for automotive diesel (EN 590) currently allows up to 7% FAME, while in the USA, the ASTM specification for on- and off- road diesel (ASTM D975) allows up to 5% FAME. Other ASTM specifications cover 6 – 20% biodiesel blends. (more…)

AIRE: Reduced noise and emissions on first complete transatlantic green flights

Airport news / 8 April 2010 /

The two first complete (gate-to-gate) green transatlantic flights were operated on 6 and 7 April 2010 from Paris-Charles de Gaulle to Miami airports. The flights were carried out by Air France (6 April) and American Airlines (7 April). This marks a new milestone for the AIRE (Atlantic Interoperability Initiative to Reduce Emissions) programme, a joint initiative between the European Commission and the FAA. AIRE is the green component of the SESAR programme.

(more…)

Research rapidly progresses as airlines eagerly await alternative fuels

Issue 1 2010, Past issues / 22 February 2010 /

In a keynote address at the September 30, 2009 meeting of the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuel Initiative (CAAFI) in Washington, DC, Air Transport Association Chairman and UAL Corp. CEO Glen Tilton emphasised, “… there clearly is a market (for aviation alternative fuels). There are buyers. There is certainly interest.”

Many feel that alternative jet fuels are a vital element in energy supply diversification in the face of rising oil prices and volatile world situations. Another important benefit of alternative fuels is that they have the potential to reduce aviation-related combustion emissions’ environmental impacts.

Progress towards alternative fuel use is moving faster as every month goes by. On November 18, 2009, Embraer, General Electric, and Amyris announced they would cooperate in a technical and environmental evaluation of Amyris’ alternative aviation fuel. This feedstock-to-fuel pathway would use an advanced fermentation technique to convert sugars to jet fuel. On December 4, U.S. Sec­retary of Energy Steven Chu and Secretary of Agri­culture Tom Vilsack announced a $600 million investment in 19 advanced biorefinery pro­jects around the United States, some of which will produce jet fuel. And, that same month, 15 airlines signed memoranda of understanding to begin purchases of alternative fuels. (more…)

FAME / Airport aviation fuelling

Issue 6 2009, Past issues / 11 December 2009 /

In an effort to reduce emissions and greenhouse gases, and to increase fuel supply security, biofuel mandates have become increasingly prevalent. Existing legislation includes Directive 2003/30/EC of the European Parliament, the Energy Independence and Security Act (US), and the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (US). In addition, Canadian provincial governments have legislation planned. Mandates such as these have made biodiesel and ethanol two of the most widely accepted biofuels in the world today. Unfortunately, biodiesel and jet fuel can be incompatible, and cross-contamination is a threat facing the aviation industry.

Biodiesel is manufactured using a chemical process called transesterification (see Figure 1 opposite). Manufacturers react methanol with an oil (triglyceride) such as vegetable oil, animal fat or used cooking oil to produce Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (FAME) and glycerol. The ester is called biodiesel and has properties similar to petroleum diesel. (more…)

Landmark synthetic jet fuel specification action creates opportunities for airports

Issue 4 2009, Past issues / 16 July 2009 /

In the Nov 07’ issue, International Airport Review readers were introduced to the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI). CAAFI’s genesis, its structure and its accomplishments were listed. Readers were left with the question “Will aviation be the last to wean itself from petroleum fuel or will it be a “first mover” to a very different future?”

That question was answered for the most part on June 24, 2009. During meetings held in Norfolk, Virginia, the Aviation Fuel Subcommittee of the ASTM (American Society of Testing and Materials International), the fuel specification governing body, passed a new specification framework for alternative fuels that can be used in applications calling for certified D1655 Jet A petroleum-derived fuel. Certification action is limited to fuel types that will “drop-in” or be indistinguishable from Jet A fuel when used in existing aircraft engines.

This action, for the first time, opens jet fuel production to multiple sources, including a broad array of feedstock’s, production facilities, and locations. By contrast, approvals granted prior to this action were limited to experimental use (flight test programmes) and production from one specific coal-to-liquid production facility located in South Africa. (more…)

Aviation and Alternative Fuels

Issue 3 2009, Past issues / 26 May 2009 /

In the autumn of 2009, ICAO will hold a world conference on the subject of aviation and alternative fuels. The main objective will be to develop an internationally-agreed roadmap for facilitating the use of aviation alternative fuels. This article provides a snapshot of progress to date as well as main issues that will need to be addressed in formulating a global roadmap.

Aviation is a relatively small contributor to worldwide greenhouse gas emissions, yet the anticipated growth of the industry in the coming decades makes action to reduce the use of fossil fuels essential. A variety of approaches, including alternative fuels and the specific challenges they pose, have to be seriously considered.

This direction was endorsed by 36th Session of the ICAO Assembly in September 2007, as it recognised the urgent need for more concerted and effective action to reduce the carbon footprint of international aviation, the importance of research and development in fuel efficiency and alternative fuels, and the value of promoting understanding on the subject. (more…)

Fuel for thought

Issue 2 2009, Past issues / 31 March 2009 /

An interview with Jeff Poole, Director of Industry Charges, Fuel and Taxation, IATA. (more…)

Handling of military fuel grades with commercial filter monitors

Issue 1 2009, Past issues / 7 February 2009 /

Aviation flight safety relies greatly on the provision of clean, dry and on-specification fuel types to airlines and military assets. Delivery of contaminant free fuel to aircraft relies on in-line filtration used throughout the fuel supply chain, including supplier’s terminals and airport facilities.

Over the years, much research in aviation fuel filtration systems has led to the development of several technologies, relying either on the principle of coalescence or water absorbance to remove particulate matter and free water from aviation turbine fuel. These filters elements must qualify to international standards and performance specifications set by the American Petroleum Institute (API) in the United States and the Energy Institute (EI) (former Institute of Petroleum (IP)) in the United Kingdom, namely API/IP 1581 standard and EI 1583 standard. (more…)

From ‘Afterthought’ to ‘Cutting Edge’?

Issue 6 2008, Past issues / 3 December 2008 /

CAAFI progress in advancing aviation alternative fuels.

One year ago International Airport Review readers were introduced to the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI). CAAFI’s genesis, its structure and its accomplishments were listed. Readers were left with the question “Will aviation be the last to wean itself from petroleum fuel or will it be a “first mover” to a very different future?”

Lastly there was a conclusion that airports would play a ‘key role’ in implementation. Left open – what is this role in an arena where airports have typically had limited engagement? What is at stake for airports?

What follows is an update that answers the first of these questions and adds granularity to the stake that airports have solutions. (more…)