British Airways and Rolls Royce to Tackle Alternative Fuels
July 14, 2008
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Beginning next year, Rolls Royce and British Airways will be testing alternative fuels in planes in an effort to reduce the carbon footprint of the aviation industry. This is another in a string of big companies announcing an increased effort on measures to control fuel costs and fight global warming, that has recently seen Boeing announce efforts to develop biofuels from algae.
The tests will look at up to four alternative fuels. Suppliers are being asked to provide fuel samples to be used in the test, which are expected to be completed by March 2009.
The criteria of the tests go beyond simply reducing carbon emissions, and will also take into account if the production of the fuel will hurt world food supplies, land use or water. Suppliers will have to ensure that the fuel they submit will be able to be mass produced and widely distributed.
The tests will be conducted on a Rolls Royce RB211 Engine, using one of BA’s Boeing 747 planes. The fuel tests will look at the carbon emissions during idling, accelerating, taking off, and cruising.
The X Prize Foundation has also said they will be throwing their hat in the ring of green fuels. As the X Prize Foundation is not a profit seeking company, like Rolls Royce and BA, they will be able to focus more strictly on the impact for global warming with less emphasis on how profitable it may be.
The Foundation will spend the next 14 months working with the Federal Aviation Administration and aviation experts to identify appropriate incentives to get companies to develop green fuel and technology. Once the criteria is set, the foundation is planning an alternative fuel contest that is expected to run between 3-8 years.
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