British Airways and fuel technology company Solena are on course to have a facility making jet biofuel from waste operational by 2015.
British Airways has confirmed its commitment to purchasing, at “market competitive” prices, the anticipated 50,000 tonnes of jet fuel produced annually by the plant for the next 10 years, which equates to around $500 million at today’s price for conventional jet kerosene.
The GreenSky London initiative will see the construction of a state of the art facility in East London that will annually convert around 500,000 tonnes of waste normally destined for landfill into 50,000 tonnes of sustainable low carbon jet fuel, 50,000 tonnes of biodiesel, bionaphtha and renewable power. GreenSky London has signed an exclusive option on a site for the facility and consent work for the development has begun. More than 150 jobs will be created to operate the facility, as well as 1000 construction positions. The partners aim to have the site operational by 2015.
British Airways expects enough sustainable fuel be produced to power 2% of its fleet departing from London Airports. Keith Williams, chief executive of British Airways, said: “We are delighted that the GreenSky London project is getting ever closer to fruition. With world-class technology partners now in place, we are well on our way to making sustainable aviation fuel a reality for British Airways by 2015.”
Solena Fuels Corporation will provide the proprietary high-temperature gasification process that converts the waste into synthetic gas and the overall integrated biomass gasification to liquids solution. Robert Do, President and CEO of Solena, said: “Our GreenSky London project will provide clean, sustainable fuels at market competitive prices that will help address British Airways’ sustainability goals. The British Airways off-take agreement represents the largest advanced biofuel commitment ever made by an airline and clearly demonstrates the airline’s leadership and vision in achieving its carbon emission reduction targets.”