New Studies show Flight Path for Aviation Biofuels

Alaska Airlines says it, like the rest of the aviation industry, has done everything it can to improve fuel efficiency but that can only do so much. The Seattle-based airline says a concerted effort to develop sustainable aviation biofuels is critical. Two new reports find that if policy makers take action, locally-grown sustainable biofuels can become a viable industry to power air travel. For years, Bill Glover, Boeing’s environmental guru, has flown around the world trying to sow the seeds for sustainable aviation biofuels. Now, Glover, who’s based in Seattle, says he’s convinced one solution is right in his backyard. “It’s our belief that local and regional efforts are going to be the way this gets going,” said Glover as he helped unveiled the results of a 10-month study into the feasibility of an aviation biofuels industry in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. “There’s absolutely capacity. There’s a great deal of potential in this region of the world,” Glover said. Steve Camp, a farmer in Washington state, harvests acres of camelina seeds that he processes into biofuels. “This can be done, this really can be done. I’m very encouraged. I think it’s a very viable project,” says Camp. “We’ve done a lot to improve efficiency. But efficiency can only go so far and we need to look at this alternative source of jet fuel to continue that progress.” Bill Ayer, Alaska Airlines Chairman and CEO Sustainable Aviation Fuels Northwest – a group that includes Boeing …