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| A Hainan Airlines Next-Generation 737-800 is fueled with a blend of sustainable aviation biofuel and petroleum jet fuel at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. Photo: Boeing |
[Avionics Today 03-23-2015] Waste cooking oil from restaurants in China carried passengers from Shanghai to Beijing on Saturday in the country’s first passenger flight powered with sustainable biofuels. Boeing, Hainan Airlines and Sinopec partnered to develop and fly a 737-800 with both of the airplane’s CFM56-7B engines fuelled by a mix of approximately 50 percent aviation biofuel combined with conventional petroleum jet fuel.
The sustainable fuel reduces carbon emissions by an estimated 50 to 80 percent throughout its lifecycle when compared to petroleum fuel. With Boeing’s current market outlook forecasting that China will require 6,020 new airplanes by 2033 to meet its growing passenger demand, new fuels will help improve environmental goals in the face of the uptick.
An array of other airlines, research institutions, governments and stakeholders are also currently working with Boeing to develop sustainable aviation biofuel in the United States, Africa, Australia, Brazil, Europe, Japan and the Middle East.