British Airways, Rolls Royce to Test Alternative Airline Fuels
Starting next year, the Rolls-Royce Group and British Airways hope to test up to four airplane fuel alternatives to kerosene.
The companies are asking suppliers to provide fuel samples for testing in 2009. The companies are seeking fuels that perform as well as kerosene but emit fewer greenhouse gases. They are also taking into account if production of the fuels will have detrimental effects on food supplies, land use and water. Suppliers will also need to ensure the fuels can be mass-produced and distributed around the world.
The fuels will be tested on a Rolls-Royce RB211 engine from a British Airways Boeing 747 at an indoor test engine bed. The companies aren't experimenting on actual flights so that outside factors will not affect performance and emissions. Results will be compared to that of an engine running on kerosene, and the tests will include performance while idling, accelerating, taking off and cruising. Testing will finish by March 2009.
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ENN | July 14, 2008 11:27 PM