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Development of Alternative Jet Fuel Advances
June 28, 2009,
An international panel of fuel experts has endorsed moving forward a new
specification for final approval for alternative commercial jet fuel,
reaching a major milestone in the Federal Aviation Administration’s
efforts to support the aviation industry’s endeavors to develop
sustainable alternative fuels.
FAA Acting Assistant Administrator for Policy, Planning and the
Environment Nancy LoBue said this important step could lead to approval
of a number of alternative fuels in the next few years and she is
confident this will help lower aviation’s carbon footprint as part of
the Next Generation (NextGen)
Air Transportation System Plan.
Supported by the
FAA-industry sponsored Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative
(CAAFI), the American Society for Testing
and Materials (ASTM) International subcommittee has approved a new
specification that details the properties and criteria necessary to
control the manufacture and quality of alternative fuels for safe use in
aviation.
Once approved by
the full ASTM committee later this year, the specification will enable
use of synthetic fuels from multiple feed stocks in combination with
conventional jet fuel up to a 50 percent blend.
The group plans follow-on work building on today’s new specification to
enable approval of a number of jet fuels options in the next few years.
The FAA will continue to participate actively to ensure that any new
fuel specification approved meets or exceeds current standards for
safety and performance. |
