Up to five alternative aviation fuels will be tested in realistic conditions as part of a "well-to-wing" study being proposed to the European Commission for its Seventh Framework research programme by an industrial consortium including Shell aviation, Airbus and Snecma.
The Alternative Fuels And Biofuels for Aircraft Development (Alfa-bird) project will investigate the economical performance and industrial consequences of switching from today's kerosene-based fuels to biofuels and other alternatives.
Based on the results a strategy for these fuels will be defined along with an implementation plan. Due to issues with biomass supply for biofuels, synthetic fuels are probably a better solution, the consortium's proposal papers state.
Current jet engine fuel efficiency is viewed as "near-optimal", while air traffic is increasing at a rate of 4% a year, leading to any future efficiency-related fuel savings being consumed by the growth, the consortium says.
The project co-ordinator would be the European Virtual Institute for Integrated Risk Management. There are 22 other participants including the UK's University of Sheffield, French aerospace agency ONERA, MTU Aero Engines and Canada's University of Toronto.
Source: Flight International
