The developer behind a green jet fuel plant on the Humber has welcomed the first commercial flight using the technology it aims to deploy.
A Japan Airlines flight from Tokyo to Sapporo used a 25 per cent blend of sustainable aviation fuel produced from Velocys’ Fischer Tropsch technology.
Woody biomass residue feedstock was used to fuel the 500-mile trip in the Airbus A350.
Velocys’ Altalto Immingham plant, a joint venture with British Airways, will use domestic waste to produce fuel, applying the same technology.
Henrik Wareborn, chief executive, said: “Velocys is pleased to announce the validation of SAF derived from woody biomass as evidenced by the use of 25 per cent SAF blend in this first in the world commercial flight using wood-chips derived jet fuel.
”SAF synthesised with the Velocys FT technology from gasified forestry residue has a 70 per cent lower carbon intensity than conventional fossil jet fuel. In addition, FT-SAF offers significant additional air quality improvements thanks to 90 per cent lower particulate emissions, 99 per cent lower sulphur emissions and lower nitrogen oxide emissions than conventional fossil fuels.”
A demonstration plant in Nagoya produced 2,366 litres of neat aviation fuel blend stock in a Velocys FT reactor from the hydrogen and carbon gases generated by the gasification of the wood-chips.
It is part of a collaboration with Toyo Engineering Corporation revealed in February.
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The fuel was tested to ensure that it met the required international standard that allows blending from a small fraction up to 50 per cent.
In an update, Velocys said Altalto has cleared its post-planning permission work, including pre-front end engineering and design, and is ready to start the full FEED process. Worley has been appointed to lead the development.
The plant, maximising the petrochemical expertise and cluster benefit, would involve a £350 to £500 million investment, creating scores of jobs.
The Oxford University spin-out is behind this and a second facility in the US.