| Green Travel News |
A new era in American aviation begins this week, as Alaska Airlines flies the first of 75 commercial passenger flights in the United States powered by biofuel. These flights signal that sustainable biofuels can provide a viable alternative to conventional fuel and enable airlines to reduce their environmental impact.
Smells like french fries?
Two maiden biofuel-powered flights will leave Seattle on November 9 for Washington, D.C. and Portland, Ore. Alaska Airlines and its sister carrier, Horizon Air, will continue to operate select flights between Seattle and the two cities over the next few weeks using a 20 percent blend of sustainable biofuel made from used cooking oil that meets rigorous international safety and sustainability standards.
“The flights reflect our longstanding commitment to environmental responsibility and our belief that sustainable biofuels are key to aviation’s future,” says Alaska Air Group Chairman and CEO Bill Ayer. “Commercial airplanes are equipped and ready for biofuels. They will enable us to fly cleaner, foster job growth in a new industry, and can insulate airlines from the volatile price swings of conventional fuel to help make air travel more economical. What we need is an adequate, affordable and sustainable supply. To the biofuels industry, we say: If you build it, we will buy it.”
Alaska Air Group has initiated a variety of environmental projects to fly greener—from pioneering satellite-based navigation procedures to onboard recycling. But industry leaders agree that biofuels represent a critical element in cutting aviation’s carbon footprint.
Alaska Air estimates the 20 percent certified biofuel blend it is using for the 75 flights will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 10 percent, or 134 metric tons, the equivalent of taking 26 cars off the road for a year. If the company powered all of its flights with a 20 percent biofuel blend for one year, the annual emissions savings would represent the equivalent of taking nearly 64,000 cars off the road or providing electricity to 28,000 homes.
The fuel is made by Dynamic Fuels from used cooking oil, in a $170 million joint-venture with Tyson Foods Inc. and Syntroleum Corp.
“Advanced biofuels can be an economic driver in creating good jobs and a vital part of America’s long-term energy security,” said Bob Ames, Tyson Foods’ vice president of renewable energy and member of the Dynamic Fuels management committee. “However, government policies supporting development are essential to ensure that the aviation biofuels industry reaches its full potential and is able to compete against foreign petroleum.”
Alaska’s commercial biofuel flights come six months after it partnered in a strategic initiative called Sustainable Aviation Fuels Northwest (SAFN), a 10-month effort to explore the feasibility, challenges and opportunities for creating an aviation biofuels industry in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. The study determined the region has the diverse stocks for biofuels, delivery infrastructure and political will needed to create a viable biofuels industry. However, there currently is no supply of aviation biofuels in the Pacific Northwest.
