Etihad Plans Biofuel Project with Boeing, Total

An Etihad aircraft in New York

Boeing is joining forces with Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways to develop sustainable biofuel to power its aircraft.

Takreer, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., French energy firm Total, and the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, will work with the aircraft manufacturer and airline to establish a supply chain for creating the fuel in the U.A.E. The project will be known as Biojet Abu Dhabi: Flight Path to Sustainability.

On Saturday, Etihad Airways powered a Boeing 777 for 45 minutes on a biofuel blend to demonstrate the team’s product.  The fuel was a blend of petroleum-based jet fuel and biofuel made from Total plants, which Takreer then refined into jet fuel.

Over the course of its lifecycle, the biofuel emits 50% less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.  While the team’s operations are currently limited to the U.A.E., it hopes to expand its scope globally.

Boeing and Etihad Airways are also two of the founding partners of the Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium, organized by the Masdar Institute. The group has been developing salt-tolerant plants that can be used as raw material in the production of biofuel.

Etihad Airways is also a member of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group and operated its first biofuel-powered flight in January 2011.

(Photo: Accura Media Group)