Greentech Lead America: A consortium of leading aviation
and clean technology companies including United Airlines, Boeing, Honeywell’s
UOP, the Chicago Department of Aviation and the Clean Energy Trust formed a
Midwest Aviation Sustainable Biofuels Initiative (MASBI).
The MASBI initiative is designed to advance aviation
biofuel development in a 12-state region holding significant promise for
biomass feedstock, technology development, job creation and sustainable
commercialization.
MASBI’s Advisory Council will include national leaders in
advanced biofuels, such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department
of the Navy, other Federal agencies, non-governmental organizations and
academic institutions
MASBI will deliver a comprehensive evaluation of the
region’s biofuel potential and a plan to support regional and national needs in
a responsible manner.
MASBI Steering Committee members view the region as
critical for biofuel  development. Airlines operating in the
Midwest transport more than 234 million passengers and consume nearly three
billion gallons of jet fuel annually.
The region has significant feedstock availability and
viability; clean technology leaders; an active funding community of large
banks, venture capital and private equity investors; airports that are already
committed to sustainable practices and support the greater use of biofuels in
aviation; policymakers who advance biofuels as a priority; and end-users
committed to action.
“In just a few short years, aviation biofuels have
developed from a hopeful vision of the future to an exciting reality of more
than 1,500 passenger flights flown with advanced biofuels,” said Jimmy
Samartzis, managing director of Global Environmental Affairs and Sustainability
for United.
“Our industry is committed to advancing sustainable
biofuels, and United is proud to launch MASBI with our partners to define
appropriate solutions to make alternative fuel available at commercial scale,
unlock the Midwest’s economic potential for advanced biofuels and secure a
sustainable future for aviation,” Samartzis added.
Organization stakeholders are developing a
feasibility study and an action plan to advance the biofuels industry in the
Midwest.
Initially, MASBI will evaluate Midwest feedstock options,
commercialization requirements and opportunities, logistics and infrastructure
needs, and regional policy measures.
After this actionable roadmap is developed, the goal is
for MASBI participants across the biofuel value chain to execute
recommendations that will enable the development and commercialization of
aviation biofuels.
“When you consider the U.S. aviation industry uses
more than 20 billion gallons of fuel each year, the environmental and economic
potential of commercializing biofuels technology becomes truly
game-changing,” said Amy Francetic, executive director of Clean Energy
Trust. “Positioning the Midwest as the global aviation biofuels leader
means long-term economic development and large-scale creation of permanent jobs
in the region.”
Airlines can count biofuel as zero-emission fuel for green
house gas emission reports
Recently Airline industry has been told that biofuel
usage will be counted as zero-emission fuels in their mandatory annual green
house gas emission reports, as requested by the European Commission. The aim is
to provide incentives for airlines to use more biofuels, assuming that those
have a zero-emissions factor.Â