Saturday June 24, 2006

Researchers work on alternative jet fuel

peakoil.com -> biz.yahoo.com :

The spike in oil prices has prompted plenty of drivers to consider biodiesel-powered or hybrid cars for their daily commute, but what about that gas guzzler we use to fly across country? Government and corporate researchers are looking into ways to power commercial jet engines with alternative fuels, although many caution that widespread use could be years or even decades away.

Scientists face myriad obstacles, including the difficulty of producing, transporting and using massive amounts of these fuels under harsh conditions such as extreme cold. Today, most commercial airplanes use a fuel similar to light kerosene. Biodiesel is one alternative - but biodiesel freezes at a much higher temperature than traditional fuel, which could spell trouble in the frigid air at 35,000 feet. Another big issue is supply. Scientists say there just isn't enough U.S. farmland to produce the crops needed to power jetliners, in addition to feeding people.

Another option is hydrogen. Liquid hydrogen has to be stored at minus 424 degrees. While lighter, it also takes up far more space than regular jet fuel. Also, since hydrogen occurs mainly in combination with other elements, such as water, it's costly and takes a great deal of energy to produce.

Another option, which is in limited use today, is to run airplanes on synthetics, made by turning coal, oil shale or natural gas into a liquid that can act like traditional jet fuel. In the immediate future, the focus remains on making traditional airplanes more fuel-efficient. Boeing says its new 787 jetliner, scheduled to enter service in 2008, promises to be as fuel-efficient per person as a hybrid car traveling with two passengers.

(2006-06-24 22:03:18 SGT) [Energy] Permalink

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