The world’s largest passenger plane has completed a three-hour flight fueled by cooking oil for the first time.
A test model of an Airbus A380 “superjumbo” filled with 27 tons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) took off from Blagnac Airport in Toulouse on Friday last week and landed in Nice.
It was the first A380 flight ever to be 100 percent powered by SAF and the third time an Airbus aircraft has accomplished the feat in the past year.
The aviation industry has pledged to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, while the UK government has set a target for aircraft to use 10 per cent SAF by 2030.
The fuel, which reduces CO2 emissions by up to 80 percent, can be made from waste oil and fats, green and municipal waste, and non-food plants.
The world’s largest passenger plane has completed a three-hour flight fueled by cooking oil for the first time. A test model Airbus A380 “superjumbo” aircraft filled with 27 tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel took off from Toulouse last week and landed in Nice
It was the first A380 flight ever to be 100 percent powered by SAF and the third time an Airbus aircraft has accomplished the feat in the past year
HOW TO TURN COOKING OIL INTO AIRPLANE FUEL
Cooking oil alone cannot be used as a fuel, but there are a number of steps that will turn the kitchen essential into a biofuel that powers airplanes.
Used olive and canola oil are the best options for this task, according to GF Communications, as they are darker than fresh vegetable oil.
The next step, known as the conversion process, is to filter the oil by heating and reheating it until it reaches at least 70°F.
A filter is used to collect food and dirt particles.
Alcohol is then added to the heated oil along with a small catalyst – usually sodium chloride.
The process leaves two products – methyl ester and glycerin.
Methyl ester is the chemical name for biodiesel and glycerin is used in a variety of products including soap.
Source: GF Raw Materials
It can also be produced synthetically using a process that extracts carbon from the air.
New jet engines can use up to 50 percent green jet fuel, but Rolls-Royce said its Trent engines could run on 100 percent sustainable fuel by 2023.
Airbus’ MSN 1 A380 double-deck test aircraft took off at 07:43 (GMT) on Friday 25 March, powered by a Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engine at 100 percent SAF.
This was manufactured in Normandy by TotalEnergies and consisted of Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA), free from aromatics and sulphur.
The jet was the third Airbus aircraft type to fly 100 percent SAF over the course of 12 months; The first was an Airbus A350 in March 2021, followed by an A319neo single aisle aircraft in October 2021.
Air transport association IATA estimates that SAF could deliver 65 percent of the emission reductions needed for the sector to reach net zero by 2050.
However, ecological kerosene is up to five times more expensive than conventional kerosene and accounts for one percent of all aviation fuel consumed worldwide.
The cost could mean higher air fares unless the government offers financial support, e.g. B. Subsidies similar to those used to boost the offshore wind sector, a loan guarantee scheme to underwrite loans to finance the production of green jet fuel using revenue from passenger levies, or an emissions trading scheme.
Government involvement could unlock support from city investors to meet the target of building 13 sustainable aviation fuel plants by 2030, each costing £300m.
The UK government has announced that the sustainable aviation fuels sector could create 6,500 jobs and boost the economy by £900m by the mid-2030s.
Airbus said all of its planes are currently certified to fly on up to a 50 percent mixture of SAF and kerosene.
“Increasing the use of SAF remains an important avenue to meet the industry goal of achieving Netzero CO2 emissions by 2050,” Airbus added in a statement.
The company claims that flying aircraft with SAF could yield between 53 and 71 percent of the CO2 reductions needed to meet that goal.
Global demand for jet fuel is currently around 200 billion liters per year, but airline trade group IATA estimates that only 100 to 120 million liters of SAF will be produced in 2021, accounting for just 0.05 percent of all fuel.
Planes and engines that can run without fossil fuels are planned for around 2025 and 2030, depending on the model.
In December 2021, the last Airbus A380 ever built was handed over to its new owner, Dubai-based airline Emirates
Last August, the Biden administration announced plans to wean planes off fossil fuels by 2050 as part of the White House’s broader effort to tackle climate change.
The US President’s team has discussed incentives and targets to increase SAF, but they are not taking the same approach as European governments, which are trying to force suppliers to blend increasing amounts of SAF into their jet fuel – a move taken by US airlines is rejected.
In December 2021, the last Airbus A380 ever built was handed over to its new owner, Dubai-based airline Emirates.
The airline, which owns about half of the A380 fleet, is expected to use them for many years to come, but several others have stopped using the model during the pandemic.
The A380 carries 545 passengers, although in theory it can accommodate a maximum of 853.
The biplane jet has four engines, a wingspan of 80 m (260 ft) and a maximum takeoff weight of 560 tons.
WHAT ARE THE IMPACT OF THE MAIN AIR POLLUTANTS IN THE WORLD?
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, there are six main pollutants that can affect human health and well-being.
Fine dust: Fine dust is the name for a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets that are in the air.
These particles come in many sizes and shapes and can be made up of hundreds of different chemicals.
Some are emitted directly from a source such as a construction site, dirt road, field, smokestack, or fire.
Fine particles (2.5 parts per million) are the leading cause of reduced visibility (haze) in parts of the United States, including many of our prized national parks and wilderness areas.
Carbon Monoxide: Breathing air with a high concentration of CO reduces the amount of oxygen that can be transported in the bloodstream to critical organs such as the heart and brain.
At very high concentrations, which are possible indoors or other confined environments, CO can cause dizziness, confusion, unconsciousness and death.
Nitrogen Dioxide: Nitrogen dioxide enters the air primarily through the combustion of fuel. NO
It comes from emissions from cars, trucks and buses, power plants and off-road equipment.
Breathing air with high NO concentration can irritate the airways in the human respiratory system. Such exposure for short periods of time can aggravate respiratory diseases, especially asthma, and lead to respiratory symptoms (such as coughing, wheezing or difficulty breathing).
Sulfur Dioxide: The largest source of sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere is the burning of fossil fuels in power plants and other industrial plants.
Short-term exposure to SO can damage human airways and make breathing difficult. Children, the elderly and asthmatics are particularly sensitive to the effects of SO.
Ground-level ozone: The ozone layer at the base of the lower part of the stratosphere, about 12 to 19 miles above the planet’s surface (20 to 30 km).
Although ozone protects us from UV radiation, when found near the ground it can cause health problems for vulnerable people suffering from lung diseases such as asthma.
It is formed by chemical reactions between nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) – found in exhaust gases – in the presence of sunlight.
Lead: Major sources of lead in the air are ore and metal processing and piston engine aircraft that use aviation leaded fuel.
Other sources include incinerators, utility companies, and lead-acid battery manufacturers. The highest concentrations of lead in the air are usually found near lead smelters.
Depending on the level of exposure, lead can affect the nervous system, kidney function, immune system, reproductive and developmental systems, and the cardiovascular system.
Infants and young children are particularly sensitive to even low levels of lead, which can contribute to behavior problems, learning disabilities, and decreased IQ.
Source: EPA