Brazilian carrier Azul aims to complete a demonstration flight with alternative fuels by 2012.
Azul will source the alternative fuel-derived from sugar cane-from California renewable fuels and chemicals producer Amyris Biotechnologies, which today inked a memorandum of understanding for alternative fuel research with Azul, Embraer and GE Aviation.
The parties are "scoping and planning the pre-flight qualification efforts for the fuel," a GE Aviation spokeswoman says. "The pre-flight qualification program will likely involve combustion rig testing, ground engine testing and fuel wetted component evaluations. Timing has not been set."
Azul's flight trial is contingent upon the outcome of the upcoming research, which will evaluate the technical and sustainability aspects of the sugar cane-derived fuel.
"From what we see today, [there is] no risk that we'll not fly. If the fuel is found to be inappropriate during the test, the test [flight] will not be done," Azul institutional relations director Adalberto Febeliano says.
The airline will probably utilize one of its E-190 jets for the trial, but an E-195 could also be used, Azul COO Miguel Dau says.
Azul is likely to settle on 20% blend of the sugar cane-derived fuel for the demonstration, he explains, noting that mixes between 20% and 50% are under consideration.
He adds that one GE CF34-10E engine will operate with the test blend while 100% petroleum jet fuel will power the other engine.
Amyris, which recently secured US patent protection for its renewable drop-in jet fuel, aims to commercialize some its renewable products as early as 2011.
This year the firm's Amyris Brasil subsidiary has opened one renewable products demonstration facility and one pilot facility in Campinas, after Amyris opened a pilot plant in Emeryville, California last year.
Amyris says in a statement that its alternative jet fuel is made from existing sugar cane feedstock in a process known as synthetic biology. The company alters the metabolic pathways of microorganisms such as yeast to engineer "living factories" that transform sugar into a range of renewable products including jet fuel.
Southwest Research Institute, the US Air Force Research Laboratory, GE Aviation and others have already conducted testing of the fuel, Amyris adds.
In addition, the company's renewable jet fuel development programme receives funding from the Brazilian government.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news