U.S. Petroleum Demand Dropped 6% in 2008
DOE and USDA Offer $25 Million for Biomass Research
DOE and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced last week that they will invest up to $25 million over the next four years, subject to annual appropriations, for the research and development of processes that produce biofuels, bioenergy, and high-value biobased products.
This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) covers three technical areas: biomass feedstocks development; cellulosic biofuels and biobased products; and biofuels development analysis, including strategic guidance, analyses of the energy and environmental impact of biofuels production, and an assessment of the potential for biomass feedstock production on federal lands.
The FOA is part of the Biomass Research and Development Initiative (BRDI), a joint effort between DOE and the USDA to accelerate research and development in bioenergy research and biobased products. It is open to higher education institutions, national laboratories, federal research agencies, state research agencies, private sector entities, non-profit organizations, and consortia of these types of entities. DOE and USDA anticipate that each awardee will receive up to $5 million over the next four years. Pre-applications are due on March 6, and final applications will be due on June 1. See the DOE press release, the FOA on Grants.gov, and the BRDI Web site.
Three More Airlines Complete Test Flights Using Biofuels
Under new collaborations with biofuel companies, jet engine manufacturers, and aircraft companies, airlines around the world have started testing the use of biofuels in their aircraft.
Virgin Atlantic set the pace early last year, when it flew a flight from England's Heathrow Airport to Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport that was fueled with biofuel produced from Babassu oil and coconut oil. (See the Virgin Atlantic press release.) In the past month, three more airlines have followed suit.
On December 30, Air New Zealand flew a four-engine Boeing 747-400 that fueled one of its engines with a 50:50 blend of jet fuel and synthetic paraffinic fuel. The synthetic biofuel was derived from the oil of the Jatropha curcas plant by Terasol Energy. Jatropha curcas grows readily on marginal lands, producing a non-edible oil.
On January 7, Continental Airlines flew a Boeing 737-800-a two-engine aircraft-with one engine fueled with a 50:50 blend of biofuel and jet fuel. For Continental, Terasol Energy again provided its Jatropha-based fuel, while Sapphire Energy provided a fuel derived from algae oil.
And last week, Japan Airlines flew a four-engine 747-300, again fueling one engine with a 50:50 blend of jet fuel and biofuel. Japan Airlines blended three biofuels: Jatropha-based fuel and algae-based fuel from the same companies used by Continental, as well as fuel derived from camelina, an oilseed plant, by Sustainable Oils, Inc.
All three flights put the fuels through a number of tests, such as operation under maximum thrust, with the main fuel pump shut down, and during engine shutdowns and restarts, and the fuels performed well.
The Boeing Company and Honeywell's UOP, a developer of refining technology, were both involved in all three flights, along with the engine manufacturer for each aircraft: Rolls-Royce for the Air New Zealand flight, GE Aviation and CFM International for the Continental flight, and Pratt & Whitney for the Japan Airlines flight. The flights provided a preliminary indication that the synthetic jet fuel, derived from a variety of natural oils, can safely and effectively be used as a "drop in" replacement for petroleum-based jet fuel.
