A future with 100% of jet fuel derived from plants could be coming soon.
A team at Washington State University successfully converted lignin-based agricultural waste into fuel that could optimize sustainably-produced aviation fuels, per a news release on the research.
"Our achievement takes this technology one step closer to real-world use by providing data that lets us better gauge its feasibility for commercial aviation," said lead scientist Bin Yang.
The team published their findings, including a novel process to break down lignin and remove its oxygen, in the Fuel Processing Technology journal.
The plant-based lignin comes from leftovers from corn harvesting like stalks or cobs, as well as other agricultural byproducts. It makes plants "tough and woody," per the release.
The scientist dubbed the process to derive fuel from it as "simultaneous depolymerization and hydrodeoxygenation." They used a reactor to convert it into usable aviation fuel.
Lignin would step in to replace dirty energy-derived aromatics that pollute the atmosphere. Aromatics are easy to spot. Think of contrails, the cloud-like leftovers from airplanes that form after their exhaust mixes with cold, dry air.
The reason aviation fuel still uses them is "they enhance fuel density and help swell O-rings in metal-to-metal joints," per the release.
The Washington State team's work is another encouraging development as the aviation industry looks to move away from dirty energy.
🗣️ Which of the following sustainable changes would make you most likely to choose a particular airline?
🔘 Using cleaner fuel ⛽
🔘 Reducing in-flight waste 🗑️
🔘 Making it easy to choose low-emissions itineraries 📋
🔘 I don't pay attention to sustainability when I fly ✈️
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
Right now, air travel is responsible for 2.5% of carbon pollution and 4% of the warming of the planet, per Our World in Data. Those numbers are set to rise, though, as demand goes up and aviation faces greater challenges in decarbonizing than other fast-shifting industries like electricity.
That explains why researchers, companies, and governments are pursuing several different initiatives to decarbonize the industry.
The sustainably-produced fuel arena has seen a series of investments, like a $1.5 billion investment for a Chinese fuel plant and a British company seeking to revolutionize its production. Finnish company Neste already supplies multiple airlines, including United, with its sustainably-produced jet fuel.
Meanwhile, a startup led by former University of Wisconsin alums is looking to kickstart electric aviation, as pollution-free air taxis are already being used in the New York City area.
Using a lignin-based compound to replace polluting contrails could go a long way to aid sustainable fuels.
Next for the Washington State team will be cutting down on costs and developing their process for greater efficiency. Their hope is to support the aviation industry's goal of 100% renewable fuel.
"Lignin-based jet fuel complements existing technologies by, for example, increasing the density of fuel blends," noted researcher Josh Heyne.
They also aspire for their product to allow sustainably produced fuel to be completely drop-in capable. That means it can work with all existing types of fuel, aircraft, infrastructure, and engines.
"We're working to create an effective, commercially relevant technology for a complementary blend component that can achieve the 100% drop-in goal," Heyne concluded.
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