Photo: Boeing
Going completely green when flying is not an easy feat, but several big industry players are working on it. One of them is Boeing, which has recently ordered two billion gallons of blended Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) from EPIC Fuels meant to be used to reduce the CO2 emissions produced by its aircraft.
This is not the first time Boeing has teamed up with the aviation fuel supplier. The two companies have been collaborating for decades. However, the latest agreement marks the largest order of SAF placed by an airframer to date.
The reason why Boeing bets on SAF is because it can reduce life-cycle carbon emissions by up to 80 percent. This cleaner alternative is produced from a variety of feedstocks and can also be mixed with regular jet fuel without requiring any changes to planes, engines, or fueling infrastructure.
Although there are several advantages to using this type of fuel, current regulations allow flights with a maximum of 50% SAF on board. The goal is to get aircraft in the air with 100% SAF, and Boeing is making great efforts for that to happen by 2030. The company started SAF test flights in 2008, and by 2012 it was already capable of performing delivery flights with blended SAF.
Four years ago, Boeing launched the ecoDemonstrator program and made history by flying the world's first commercial airplane powered entirely by SAF. Since then, the company has been focused on making sustainable aviation fuels a reality.
The recent blend of SAF ordered from EPIC Fuels is made from inedible agricultural waste and conventional jet fuel. Throughout 2022, the two million gallons (7.5 million liters) will be utilized for commercial applications at facilities located in Washington and South Carolina.
EPIC Fuels will also continue to deliver customized blends of SAF for the ecoDemonstrator program, which focuses on testing aviation technologies in the air meant to increase fuel economy and reduce both the noise and carbon footprint of airliners.
The reason why Boeing bets on SAF is because it can reduce life-cycle carbon emissions by up to 80 percent. This cleaner alternative is produced from a variety of feedstocks and can also be mixed with regular jet fuel without requiring any changes to planes, engines, or fueling infrastructure.
Although there are several advantages to using this type of fuel, current regulations allow flights with a maximum of 50% SAF on board. The goal is to get aircraft in the air with 100% SAF, and Boeing is making great efforts for that to happen by 2030. The company started SAF test flights in 2008, and by 2012 it was already capable of performing delivery flights with blended SAF.
Four years ago, Boeing launched the ecoDemonstrator program and made history by flying the world's first commercial airplane powered entirely by SAF. Since then, the company has been focused on making sustainable aviation fuels a reality.
The recent blend of SAF ordered from EPIC Fuels is made from inedible agricultural waste and conventional jet fuel. Throughout 2022, the two million gallons (7.5 million liters) will be utilized for commercial applications at facilities located in Washington and South Carolina.
EPIC Fuels will also continue to deliver customized blends of SAF for the ecoDemonstrator program, which focuses on testing aviation technologies in the air meant to increase fuel economy and reduce both the noise and carbon footprint of airliners.
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