ABU DHABI, United Arab
Emirates, Jan. 19, 2014
/PRNewswire/ -- Boeing [NYSE:BA], Etihad Airways, Takreer, Total
and the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology today announced
they will collaborate on a new initiative to support a sustainable
aviation biofuel industry in the United
Arab Emirates.
BIOjet Abu Dhabi: Flight Path to Sustainability will engage a
broad range of stakeholders to develop a comprehensive framework
for a U.A.E. biofuel supply chain. This initiative will focus on
research and development and investments in feedstock production
and refining capability in the U.A.E. and globally.
Etihad Airways showed the promise of this homegrown effort
yesterday with a 45-minute demonstration flight in a Boeing 777
powered in part by U.A.E.-produced sustainable aviation biofuel.
The biofuel was partially converted from plants by Total and
refined into jet fuel by Takreer, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Abu
Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC). U.A.E. is now among a handful of
countries that have produced and flown on their own aviation
biofuel, which emits at least 50 percent less carbon dioxide than
fossil fuel over its lifecycle.
"In collaboration with our key partners, our goal is to support
and help drive the commercialization of sustainable aviation fuel
in Abu Dhabi, the region and also
globally," said Etihad Airways President and CEO James Hogan. "We have made some important first
steps in this process and our continued focus will be to develop
further initiatives such as this which will facilitate the
availability of sustainable aviation biofuels for Etihad Airways in
the coming years."
Boeing and Etihad Airways are also among the founding partners
of the Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium, hosted by the
Masdar Institute in Abu Dhabi. The
consortium has been researching and developing salt-tolerant plants
that would be raw material for the same refining processes used to
produce renewable fuel for the Etihad Airways flight.
The flight and BIOjet Abu Dhabi announcement lead into Abu Dhabi
Sustainability Week and the World Future Energy Summit. These
activities and Masdar Institute's aviation biofuel research are
aligned with the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030, which seeks to
develop sustainable energy sources to diversify the U.A.E. economy
and increase workforce opportunities for Emiratis.
"With further commitment and investment, the U.A.E., a global
leader in commercial aviation, is well-positioned to lead efforts
to make our industry more sustainable," said Jeffrey Johnson, president, Boeing Middle East.
"Boeing works with partners around the world to advance sustainable
biofuel development and sees great opportunity for BIOjet Abu Dhabi
to have a positive impact in the U.A.E. and globally."
"Takreer is proud to have been involved in refining this
aviation biofuel at its Abu Dhabi
research center," said Takreer CEO Jasem
Ali Al Sayegh. "We support the concept of using biofuel as a
sustainable aviation fuel for a cleaner future in line with ADNOC's
sustainability policy. We see this strategy as complementary to our
future plans in meeting the rapid growth in demand for jet fuel in
the country and the region in view of the expansion of the
operations of airlines here."
Etihad Airways is an airline industry leader in supporting the
development of lower-carbon renewable fuels. A member of the
Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group (SAFUG), the airline operated
the Gulf region's first biofuel flight in January 2011 with a Boeing 777 delivery from
Seattle to Abu Dhabi powered by a blend of
petroleum-based and certified plant oil-based jet fuel.
Boeing collaborates with airlines, research institutions,
governments and other stakeholders to develop sustainable biofuel
supply chains around the world, including the United States, Middle East, China, Brazil, Europe and Australia.
For more information, visit
http://www.boeing.com/boeing/aboutus/environment/
Contact:
Robeel Haq
Etihad Airways Corporate Communications
+ 971 2 511 1429
RHaq@etihad.ae
Jessica Kowal
Boeing Commercial Airplanes
Environment Communications
+1-206-660-6849
jessica.m.kowal@boeing.com
Fakher Daghestani
Boeing International Communications
+971 506254855
fakher.a.daghestani@boeing.com
SOURCE Boeing