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Rolls-Royce and British Airways are teaming up to conduct
an in-depth study of using alternative fuels in the aviation
industry.
The initiative comes as the industry faces escalating fuel
costs and growing pressure to curb emission levels - including
its recent inclusion within the European Union's emissions
trading scheme (Click
Here).
The companies are asking alternative fuel providers to submit
fuel samples for testing and will then draw-up a shortlist
of up to four to test on a Rolls-Royce RB211 engine
from a BA Boeing 747. Suppliers which reach the short
list will have to provide 60,000 litres of fuel and will have
to demonstrate what Rolls-Royce described as their fuels'
'sustainability, suitability and industrial capacity'.
"It is critical that the fuel can not only do the job required
of it, but can also offer a CO2 benefit
and be produced without a detrimental impact to food, land
or water" - Rolls-Royce director of research and technology,
Ric Parker, said. "There must also be clear evidence of the
potential for mass production and global distribution of an
alternative fuel to support the world's aviation industry."
A number of alternative fuels are already being tested by
being used to power individual engines on aircraft, but Rolls-Royce
argues that the use of an indoor test bed would allow more
accurate data to be gathered than would be possible from actual
flight data.
Kerosene is the current fuel of choice. It is widely available
and can tolerate a wide range of temperatures - but the industry
is seeking alternatives which will cut carbon emissions.
Jonathon Counsell, head of environment at BA, said - "Should
the tests we are undertaking with Rolls-Royce be successful,
the potential for bringing us closer to a greener fuel alternative
that will help the aviation industry reduce its carbon footprint,
is enormous."
In related news, The US Department of Transport has recently
announced that it is to work with the X
Prize Foundation to develop new monetary incentives
for the development of renewable aviation fuels and technologies
designed to curb the sector's carbon footprint (Click
Here).
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