Can saltwater-guzzling plants provide biofuel for planes?

CleanTech 6 Oct 09;

Boeing, Honeywell, and Masdar all want in on a new research study that looks at the large-scale production potential of jet fuels from unique plants known as halophytes.

Chicago-based Boeing (NYSE:BA) said today it is teaming up with UOP, a division of Honeywell (NYSE:HON), to commission a study on the sustainability of using saltwater-drinking plants to generate renewable jet fuel.

UOP develops technologies for the petroleum refining, gas processing, petrochemical production and major manufacturing industries. Boeing is the world's leading aerospace company.

The study is being led by the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, an independent research-focused institution founded by the government of Abu Dhabi (see Abu Dhabi, the next cleantech hub?). The study’s results are expected to be available in late 2010.

The results could help the Masdar Initiative grow its portfolio of renewable energy technologies including sustainable biofuel sources that can be locally grown. The Masdar Initiative is working to build the world's first carbon-neutral, zero-waste city, called Masdar City, in the desert ouside of Abu Dhabi (see Madsar City and Al Falah co-develop clean concrete and $50M solar plant comes online to power Masdar City construction).

The new study is being commissioned as part of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group consortium—an initiative that promotes sustainable, second-generation biofuels for the aviation industry. The consortium includes Boeing and UOP (see Game-changing day for jet biofuels). Financial details were not disclosed.

The study is expected to research the potential for sustainable, large-scale production of biofuels made from salicornia bigelovii and saltwater mangroves, or plants categorized as halophytes.

Halophytes are considered to be beneficial biomass energy sources because they thrive in arid land, can be irrigated using seawater and have the potential to deliver high yields per acre of land, according to Boeing.

Boeing said the study is expected to evaluate halophyte aquaculture management and practices, land use and energy requirements, and determine potentially unfavorable ecological or social impacts associated with using the plants for energy development, specifically for aviation biofuels.

Yale University's School of Forestry & Environmental Studies and UOP also plan to participate in the study.

Last year, Honeywell said it was teaming up with three other players in the airline industry to study the use of biofuels for commercial aircraft (see Honeywell partners up to look at aircraft biofuels).