Boeing, South African Airways Launch Sustainable Aviation Biofuel Effort in Southern Africa

Boeing and South African Airways (SAA) announced thursday that they will work together to develop and implement a sustainable aviation biofuel supply chain in Southern Africa, the first for the continent.

The companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding for sustainable aviation biofuel supply chain development this week at The Corporate Council on Africa's 9th Biennial U.S.-Africa Business, attended by executives from leading U.S. and African firms and government representatives from several countries.

Boeing and SAA say their collaboration comes as part of a wider effort to support environmental sustainability for the airline's operations and the commercial aviation industry overall, while also advancing South Africa's social and economic development.

Boeing has worked extensively with airlines, research institutions, governments and other stakeholders to develop road maps for biofuel supply chains in several countries and regions, including the United States, China, Australia and Brazil.

In 2012, Boeing completed assembly of ecoDemonstrator, an American Airlines Next-Generation 737-800 aircraft to be used as a flying test bed for validating environmentally progressive technologies.

In April, Boeing extended its agreement, along with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), to work with the USDA to help develop a viable biofuel for the aviation industry. The renewed program focuses on future goals — such as designating personnel, evaluating current and potential feedstock types and systems, developing multiple feedstock supply chains, developing state and local public-private teams, communicating results and issuing periodic reports.

Biofuels have been taking off, as of late. Earlier this year, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines began operating weekly transatlantic flights between New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport and Amsterdam’s Schiphol using a biofuel mixture consisting of 25 percent cooking oil and 75 percent jet fuel.

"Sustainable aviation biofuel will play a central role in reducing commercial aviation's carbon emissions over the long term, and we see tremendous potential for these fuels in Africa," said Julie Felgar, managing director of Environmental Strategy and Integration, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "Boeing and South African Airways are committed to investigating feedstocks and pathways that comply with strict sustainability guidelines and can have a positive impact on South Africa's development."

Flight tests show that biofuel, which is derived from organic sources such as plants or algae, performs as well as or better than petroleum-based jet fuel. When produced in sustainable ways, biofuel contributes far less to global climate change than traditional fuels because carbon dioxide is pulled out of the atmosphere by a growing plant-based feedstock.

Boeing and SAA say new developments in technology will enable the conversion of biomass into jet fuel in a more sustainable manner without competing with other sectors for food and water resources. The World Wildlife Fund-South Africa will monitor and ensure compliance to sustainability principles that would ensure that fuel is sustainable and would lead to genuine carbon reductions.

Aviation biofuel refined to required standards has been approved for a blend of up to 50 percent with traditional jet fuel. Globally, more than 1,500 passenger flights using biofuel have been flown since the fuel was approved.