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http://energy-conservation.suite101.com/article.cfm/air_new_zealand_considers_jatropha

Air New Zealand Considers Jatropha

Airline Company Desires an Environmentally Sustainable Fuel Source

Jun 10, 2008

Air New Zealand is progressing in its goal to produce an environmentally sustainable aircraft fuel. Jatropha based fuel shows promise as a replacement for jet fuel.

Air New Zealand may be leading the aviation industry in its pursuit of new, environmentally sustainable fuel source. The answer appears to be fuel produced from a plant called jatropha and Air New Zealand expects to use a million barrels a year of the new fuel by 2013.

In announcing the company's plans, Chief Executive Officer Rob Fyfe says, "Air New Zealand is absolutely committed to being at the forefront of testing environmentally sustainable fuels for use in aviation and we are confident that our hard work with partners like Boeing together with the efforts of many of our peers will see a step change sooner than many people realize. This fundamental shift in fuel options should be embraced by the industry and we aim to see at least ten percent of our total annual needs coming from environmentally sustainable fuels by 2013."

Flight Testing of Jatropha

In cooperation with aircraft manufacturer Boeing, Air New Zealand has scheduled flight tests using a 747-400 equipped with Rolls Royce engines for later in 2008 pending regulatory approval. This will be the world's first flight test using jatropha fuel on large passenger aircraft.

Environmental Sustainability

Air New Zealand has approached its alternate fuel project with a set of three social, technical, and commercial criteria that must be met before jatropha will be used as a fuel. Socially, cultivation of the fuel source must not compete for land used to produce existing food stocks. Technically, fuel produced must be equivalent to what is currently being used. Commercially, the cost of the alternative must be competitive and supplies readily available.

Jatropha Plants

Jatropha curcus plants are described as growing to heights of three meters in difficult conditions of arid and non-arable lands. The plant produces seeds that contain a lipid oil that be used to create fuel and these seeds contain 30 to 40 of their total mass in this oil. Jatropha profile seems ideal for encouraging its use as an alternative fuel source:

• It is resistant to drought and will grow in marginal soil conditions
• The plant is easy to propagate, but will not spread invasively
• It is a very hardy, long-lived plant that can resist frost, inspect and animal damage
• Jatropha plants stabilize soils and can help combat desertification
• It does not exhaust soil nutrients or require rotation with other crops
• Plant yield high levels of oil rich seeds whose production can improve developing economies
• Seed waste remaining after oil extraction can be recycled as fertilizer
• One byproduct of jatropha oil production is an effective natural insecticide

Air New Zealand is making progress in its goal to produce an environmentally sustainable fuel for use in its aircraft. The company's commitment to this research shows a promise for identifying alternative replacements for petroleum-based fuels.