KNOXVILLE,
Tenn. — Researchers from the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture (UTIA)
have received a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration to begin a three-year
project to perform a multitude of techno-market analyses of U.S. biorefinery
supply chains from feedstock to alternative jet fuels.
The
amount of worldwide air travel is expected to increase significantly in the
coming decades. Recent projections indicate an increase in average growth rate
of 3.7 percent over the next five years, followed by a 2.5 percent increase per
year through 2031.
The
projected air travel growth in conjunction with environmental issues regarding
jet-fuel petroleum, a finite resource that releases greenhouse gases when combusted,
have the international aviation industry looking for ways to accommodate air traffic
demand, while also achieving its goal of carbon-neutral growth starting in
2020.
To
achieve this goal, an aggressive plan has been set in motion that includes
increasing engine performance, deployment of lightweight aircraft materials,
and other operational improvements. However, a vital piece of the plan is the
expanded use of alternative aviation fuels derived from renewable biomass
sources—a source that UTIA knows well. For more than a decade, UTIA has been
researching biofuels and the bioeconomy, providing guidance and collaborations
in biofuels programming to groups such as Chevron Corporation, Department of
Energy, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture
and more.
In
order to expand the use of renewable fuels, which may reduce greenhouse gas
emissions by an estimated 80 percent compared to petroleum-based fuels, the
pace of commercialization must be accelerated. Acceleration will require the
development of production systems that increase economic efficiency. It is
therefore important to create decision tools that encompass the manifold
interaction of operations along the supply chain.
In
addition to analyzing biorefinery supply chains and feedstock, the researchers
will lay the groundwork for a Southeast biorefinery.
The
Southeastern states grow many types of biomass feedstock, which could prove
significant when anchoring the supply chain—the initial step of biomass
production. “The South is well positioned to convert the biomass grown by
agricultural producers for dedicated use as aviation fuel, adding value and
providing a more sustainable means of travel,” said UTIA professor and lead
researcher Burton C. English.
“This
grant provides UTIA an opportunity to assist the aviation industry in advancing
a sustainable biomass solution that could reduce greenhouse gas emissions,
bolster rural economic development, increase farm income, and lessen dependency
on foreign oil,” said English. “Through opportunities like this, researchers
can focus their attention and provide potential solutions to emerging issues.”
This
research is part of the Aviation Sustainability Center (ASCENT) project—a
cooperative aviation research organization co-led by Washington State
University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. ASCENT is funded by
the FAA, NASA, DOD, Transport Canada, and EPA. The research cooperative
includes 16 leading U.S. research universities and more than 60 private-sector
stakeholders. Additional resources include a partnership with international
research programs, federal agencies and national laboratories.
The
$225,000 grant provides the first year of initial funding for this new ASCENT
emphasis.
Through
its mission of research, teaching and extension, the University of Tennessee
Institute of Agriculture touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. ag.tennessee.edu.
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Contact:
Burton
C. English, Professor, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics,
865-974-3716, benglish@utk.edu