Chicago based aircraft manufacturer, Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China (COMAC), have opened a demonstration facility that will recycle waste cooking oil into aviation jet fuel.
Boeing explained that in China used cooking oil is commonly referred to as ‘gutter oil’, and that recycling it could produce as much as 500 million gallons (1.8 billion litres) of biofuel annually in China.
The company said that along with COMAC it is sponsoring the facility, known as the China-U.S. Aviation Biofuel Pilot Project.
It will use a technology developed by Hangzhou Energy & Engineering Technology (HEET) to clean contaminants from waste oils and convert it into jet fuel at a rate of 170 gallons (650 litres) per day.
The project’s goal is to assess the technical feasibility and cost of producing higher volumes of biofuel.
According to Boeing, sustainably produced biofuel, which reduces carbon emissions by 50% to 80% compared to petroleum through its lifecycle, is expected to play a key role in supporting aviation’s growth while meeting environmental goals.
The company added that its Current Market Outlook has forecast that China will require more than 6000 new airplanes by 2033 to meet fast-growing passenger demand for domestic and international air travel.
Boeing and COMAC have been collaborating since 2012 to support the growth of China’s commercial aviation industry.
As part of this collaboration, Boeing explained that the Boeing-COMAC Aviation Energy Conservation and Emissions Reductions Technology Center in Beijing works with Chinese universities and research institutions to expand knowledge in areas that improve aviation’s efficiency, such as aviation biofuel and air traffic management.
Biofuel produced by the China-U.S. Aviation Biofuel Pilot Project will meet international specifications approved in 2011 for jet fuel made from plant oils and animal fats. Boeing said that this type of biofuel has already been used for more than 1600 commercial flights.
The article source: http://www.waste-management-world.com/articles/2014/10/boeing-demo-plant-recycling-waste-cooking-oil-into-jet-fuel-in-china.html
