Study to look at sustainability of producing renewable jet fuel

Boeing, Embraer and the Inter American Development Bank (IDB) will jointly fund a sustainability analysis on the production of renewable jet fuel using sugarcane as feedstock. The funding will come from a regional cooperation grant for the development of a sustainable biojet fuels industry. The renewable fuel will be produced by U.S.-based Amyris. The study will look at whether the renewable fuel produced from sugar cane is both environmentally sound and economical. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is signed up to serve as an independent reviewer and advisor for the project. Arnaldo Vieira de Carvalho with the IDB Sustainable Aviation Biofuels Initiative, said, “Emerging renewable jet fuel technologies have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions significantly, as sugarcane ethanol in Brazil has already proven. This study will examine the overall potential for sustainable, large-scale production of alternative jet fuels made from sugarcane.” ICONE, a research company in Brazil, will be overseeing the study. The study is expected to be completed in 2012. (July 28, 2011)