South Africa, Partners to Grow Aviation Fuel

DEFENCEWEB

South African farmers in the Limpopo province hope to harvest a first crop of energy-rich Solaris plants to be used as aviation fuel.

The aviation giant Boeing and national carrier South African Airways (SAA) launched Project Solaris. The project is a collaborative effort to develop an aviation biofuel supply chain with the Solaris plant, a nicotine-free variant of tobacco. More than 300 varieties of the tobacco plant were crossed to create the Solaris variety. Oil from the plant’s seeds may be converted into bio-jet fuel as early as 2015, with a test flight by SAA as soon as feasible.

“SAA continues to work towards becoming the most environmentally sustainable airline in the world and is committed to a better way of conducting business,” said Ian Cruickshank, environmental affairs specialist for the SAA Group. “The impact the biofuel program will have on South Africans is astounding: thousands of jobs mostly in rural areas, new skills and technology, energy security and stability, macro-economic benefits to the country, and a reduction in the amount of carbon dioxide emissions.”

If test farming in Limpopo is successful, the project will be expanded in South Africa and potentially to other countries. In coming years, emerging technologies are expected to increase aviation biofuel production from the plant’s leaves and stems. By 2020 Project Solaris hopes to have at least 50,000 hectares of Solaris under cultivation in South Africa. This would also create 50,000 direct and indirect jobs.