Airbus, ENN partner to create alternate fuels from Algae Oil

Aviation major Airbus along with its parent company European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) has signed a memorandum of association with China-based clean energy developer ENN to explore opportunities in alternative aviation fuels.

Scope of the collaboration will include development, assessment and promotion of aviation fuels derived from Algae Oil in the Chinese aviation market.

Under the first phase of collaboration the partners will employ EADS Innovation Works’ expertise on new generation fuels to carry out maturity assessment of Algae Oil technology, testing and analysis and on the development of tools to assess the environmental, economic and societal impact of this technology.

ENN will employ its alternative fuel production plant from Algal-oil that has the capacity to produce about 10 tons of fuel per annum.

Commenting on the collaboration EADS chief technology officer Jean Botti termed Microalgae to be one of the most promising options to produce aviation bio-fuel.

"We have already proved that it is technically possible to fly with Algae Oil.

"Now we need to demonstrate that the industrial production of algae based biofuel is both ecologically and economically viable," said Botti.

ENN Group CTO Dr. Zhongxue Gan added, ""Sustainability is crucial to our environment and the global community. ENN, as a clean energy provider, and Airbus, as an energy consumer, have been striving to make sure that algal jet fuel can be delivered and used to reduce carbon emissions for the airline industry."

The alliance plans to carry out test flights using ENN’s Algae Oil in the second phase of collaboration expected to start in 2013.