New research suggests biofuel made from oil mallee trees could be a viable source of jet fuel, offering a glimmer of hope for growers in Western Australia who planted the trees in large numbers in the past two decades. Sources: ABC News, TN
Farmers in the Great Southern were encouraged to plant the trees to address salinity issues, create a possible biomass industry, and reap the expected benefits of a carbon pricing system. But hopes of an industry driven by mallees are yet to be delivered.
That has left large quantities of trees taking up farming land with no immediate prospects of a financial return for landowners.
That could be about to change with research led by the Farm Future Industries Cooperative Research Centre in Perth finding using those trees to fuel aeroplanes is both scientifically possible and financially viable.
Research director John McGrath said that could provide a $30 million economic boost to the region and an industry could be possible as early as 2021.
“What we need to do is manufacture sufficient quantities of the material so it can be run through the certification process,” he said.
“But it’s fair to say that all of the early investigations into the chemistry of these oils suggests it’s highly likely they will be suitable [for air travel use].”
A two-year study commissioned by Airbus and partners including Virgin Australia in 2012 into the practicability of using Australia’s mallee trees to make biofuels suitable for powering passenger jets has reported encouraging results.
The report published by the Future Farm Industries Cooperative Centre (CRC) concludes that jet fuel made from the mallee tree will meet strict sustainability criteria determined by the Roundtable for Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) and will be suitable for commercial flights according to the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).
The sustainability and lifecycle analysis covered the growing and harvesting of the mallee tree and its conversion into aviation grade biofuel via the pyrolysis thermal and upgrading processes developed by Dynamotive and IFP Energies nouvelles (IFPEN).
Mallee trees flourish in regions of poor soil and do not directly compete for water nor with food production.
The vast Great Southern region of Western Australia was used in the study, which included examining the viability of a complete industry supply chain from grower to aviation user.
“What this report demonstrates is that mallees can provide a future economic benefit to farmers and regional communities, with a viable industry possible by 2021 said Dr John McGrath, CRC Research Director.
“Mallee integrates well with farm crop and livestock operations and can protect and enhance biodiversity, and contributing to rebalancing water tables.”
The study shows that if all flights departing Perth airport were powered by locally sourced mallee biofuel, that emissions could be reduced by at least 40%.
