SEPTEMBER 2016 | 31 Defense and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration toward approval of green diesel for aviation uses. Production of green diesel, which is made from plant oils and cooking waste fats, has reached more than 1.2 billion gallons (4.5 billion liters) annually, Kinder added. While growing biofuel production to a scale that supports thousands of daily commercial flights is still not a reality, all these efforts build toward that goal, Morgan said. “If you don’t get it to 1 percent, you don’t get to 10, 50 or 100 percent. At this point, we’re working on getting biofuel production and use to the highest percentage possible,” he said. In Seattle, Alaska Airlines, the Port of Seattle and Boeing are working together to support biofuel production in the Pacific Northwest and use at Seattle- Tacoma International Airport, making it the first airport to create a long-term road map for incorporating aviation biofuel into its fueling infrastructure. “Biofuel infrastructure will make Sea-Tac airport an attractive option for any airline committing to use biofuel and will assist in attracting biofuel producers to the region as part of a longer-term market development strategy,” said John Creighton, a commissioner for the Port of Seattle, which oversees the airport. Meanwhile, Boeing also is helping create international standards and regulations for aviation biofuels, which is a necessary step to move forward, said Brian Moran, vice president of Government Affairs for Boeing Europe. “As an industry, we have set some pretty ambitious targets,” Moran said, noting that the international goal is to reduce the carbon footprint of commercial aviation to just 50 percent of 2005 levels by 2050, even as the number of airplanes increases. “The technology is ready. Airlines and regulators recognize the advantages, but the regulatory framework is not there yet. That is why we engage policymakers to make our case.” In addition to supporting the eventual widespread use of biofuels, Boeing is active in efforts to create more immediate solutions, including the use of carbon offsets, in which airlines and others can invest in carbon-reduction projects to “offset” the carbon emissions created by the use of aviation fuel. Boeing, Airbus and others also are attacking emissions with new and innovative commercial jetliners. The 787 Dreamliner and 737 MAX, for example, are significantly more fuel-efficient than the generation of airplanes that came before them. But better airplanes alone won’t get Boeing, the airlines and their increasingly environmentally minded passengers to the emission-reduction goals being negotiated by nations around the globe, Lyons said. That’s why it’s worthwhile to invest in biofuel development, which can also support farmers and regional economies around the world in addition to creating cleaner air, he said. “Aviation is fundamental to global economic prosperity and progress,” Lyons said. “But at the same time, we have to realize there are finite resources, and if we want to grow, we have to confront that.” • ERIC.C.FETTERS-WALP@BOEING.COM
Frontiers September 2016 Issue
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