First 100% biofuel flight, in Canada
The United States Navy strives to cut oil use 50% by 2020. They have signed an agreement with company Biodico to build a sustainable biorefinery in California.
By Biocat
The National Research Council Canada (NRC) has carried out the first flight in history using 100% renewable fuel. The US Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) reported on this milestone on their site, as previous flights with biofuel had been limited to a 50% blend with petroleum.
The company that manufactured the biofuel is called Applied Research Associates and used oilseed crops marketed by Agrisoma as the raw material, transforming them into a complete replacement for conventional jet fuel.
White or industrial biotechnology continues to contribute solutions to energy challenges. The United States has calculated that production and use of advanced biofuel could substitute 475 million barrels of oil each year by 2022, reducing oil imports by $70,000 millions per year, according to Bio-ERA.
The US Navy has long recognized the importance of reducing dependence on foreign oil and strives to cut petroleum use 50% by 2020. Late last year, they signed an agreement with biotechnology company Biodico to collaborate on developing advanced biofuels and bioenergy refineries around the world for the US military. To start off, Biodico will build a sustainable biorefinery on the naval base in Ventura County (California), which will produce biofuel and bioenergy at prices competitive with unsubsidized conventional fuel and power. The California Energy Commission will partially fund construction of this plant.
For every $0.25 rise in the price of jet fuel, the Department of Defense must come up with an additional $1,000 millions each year. In 2011, the Pentagon spent $17,300 millions on petroleum, up 26% from the previous year with practically no change in the volume purchased.