Photo: Alder Fuels
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is still the object of intensive research until it can reach the phase of mass production. Rolls-Royce is one of the biggest players that leads the way towards green jet fuel, having certified all Trent engines for running on a 50% SAF blend. The next step is joining forces with one of the most promising SAF producers, Alder Fuels.
Rolls-Royce and Washington-based Alder Fuels are getting ready to dive deeper into the testing of green jet fuel. The aerospace giant plans to provide its new Pearl engine for future flight tests. The Pearl10X will exclusively power Dassault’s newest ultra-long range airliner, the Falcon 10X, and a new production support facility for this engine is being built by Rolls-Royce in Le Haillan, near Bordeaux, France.
Alder Fuels has developed a type of green jet fuel that can be used as a drop-in alternative (meaning that no technical modifications are required for the aircraft) in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The U.S. Defense Logistics Agency, Boeing, and Honeywell are just some of the big names that are currently backing this particular fuel.
Forest residue and agricultural waste are used to produce the low-carbon Alder Greencrude (AGC), which is then converted into a drop-in fuel using conventional refinery infrastructure. Compared to standard jet fuel, this product is expected to cut GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions by more than 80%.
The future tests carried out using Rolls-Royce engines will compare the performance of the Alder SAF to that of fossil-based fuel. Plus, a full lifecycle assessment will be conducted. The feedback from these complex tests will then be used to accelerate the development of an alternative fuel that can be used on a large scale.
“While we are also working on electrification, hybrid-electric and hydrogen technologies as long-term alternatives, rapid decarbonization is within reach through this critical pathway,” said Frank Moesta, SVP Strategy & Future Programs – Business Aviation, Rolls-Royce.
Alder Fuels has developed a type of green jet fuel that can be used as a drop-in alternative (meaning that no technical modifications are required for the aircraft) in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The U.S. Defense Logistics Agency, Boeing, and Honeywell are just some of the big names that are currently backing this particular fuel.
Forest residue and agricultural waste are used to produce the low-carbon Alder Greencrude (AGC), which is then converted into a drop-in fuel using conventional refinery infrastructure. Compared to standard jet fuel, this product is expected to cut GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions by more than 80%.
The future tests carried out using Rolls-Royce engines will compare the performance of the Alder SAF to that of fossil-based fuel. Plus, a full lifecycle assessment will be conducted. The feedback from these complex tests will then be used to accelerate the development of an alternative fuel that can be used on a large scale.
“While we are also working on electrification, hybrid-electric and hydrogen technologies as long-term alternatives, rapid decarbonization is within reach through this critical pathway,” said Frank Moesta, SVP Strategy & Future Programs – Business Aviation, Rolls-Royce.
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