BIOFUEL USE IN AVIATION

Safety of Bio-fuel Use in Aviation



Safety of Bio-fuel Use in Aviation

Introduction

Bio-fuel refers to those fuels that obtained from biomass, i.e. living organisms (like plants) or their metabolic byproducts. Recently there has been a great interest in bio-fuels, mainly because all countries are trying to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels and thus achieve greater energy security. Bio-fuel provides several advantages as compared to other energies sources. These include reduction in pollution, sustainable programs development, and effective utilization of resources.

Bio-fuels can partially replace fossil fuels. Compared to other alternative energies, bio-fuel can fulfill the energy demand at lower costs in the aviation industry because they do not require major changes in the technology, nor in the distribution system. In the next three years, U.S. aims at investing 510 million dollars in the production of bio-fuels for aviation (Gallman, 2011). Bio-fuels allow the United States to reduce dependence on foreign oil (EU Energy, 2011). Main concern that arises in the context is the effectiveness of bio-fuel in replacing the jet fuel and safety of using bio-fuel in aviation. This paper presents an analysis of safety of using bio-fuel in aviation.

Problem Identification

U.S. President Barack Obama made an assertive statement that by 2025, oil imports should be reduced by one third, which can be achieved only through the development of bio-fuels (EU Energy, 2011). Although the president's initiative is dictated primarily by considerations of national security and the desire for energy independence, it directly affects the civil aviation sector. Obama stressed the need to work on use of bio-fuels not only on military aircraft, but also on commercial carriers. The Boeing Company is also involved in work on bio-fuels. The two-year study funded by Boeing in Latin America showed that plant material for bio-fuels. Safety of bio-fuel use in ...