Jet fuel from plants? UAE to conduct study

Leading institutes from the United Arab Emirates will conduct a study on production of renewable jet fuel from saltwater plants.

Dhabi's Masdar Institute of Science and Technology -- an independent, non-profit institution -- will conduct the study alongwith Boeing and Yale University's School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, to examine the possibility for sustainable, large-scale production of biofuel from halophyte plants like salicornia bigelovii and saltwater mangroves.

Boeing is being commissioned as part of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group consortium.

The analysis will also include an assessment of the total carbon lifecycle of biofuels.

Halophytes can be highly productive sources of biomass energy, and can thrive in arid land and irrigated with sea water, making them suitable for biofuel development, experts from the institutes have said.

"Scientific and academic communities are stepping forward to look at the totality of each renewable fuel source that can help us reduce carbon emissions," said Billy Glover, managing director of Environmental Strategy for Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

"By looking at these species in a formal research framework, we will know if halophytes meet the carbon reduction and socio-economic criteria that will allow them to become part of sustainable biofuel solutions for aviation."

The government of Abu Dhabi founded Masdar to research and develop alternative energy and sustainable technologies.

The halophyte study will evaluate aquaculture management and practices, land use and energy requirements and identify any potential adverse ecological or social impacts associated with using halophytes for energy development, specifically for aviation biofuel development.

A successful outcome of the study will give Masdar an opportunity to expand its portfolio of renewable energy technologies into biofuels that are sustainable and can be grown locally, Sgouris Sgouridis of Masdar Institute said.