Honeywell's UOP Green Jet Fuel Technology Powers Biofuel Demonstration Flight for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
DES PLAINES, Ill., Nov. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- UOP LLC, a Honeywell (NYSE: HON) company, announced today that its renewable jet fuel process technology was used to convert second-generation, renewable feedstocks to green jet fuel for a biofuel demonstration flight by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.
UOP's process technology was used to convert oil from camelina, an inedible plant, to green jet fuel for the flight. One engine of a Boeing 747 was powered by a fuel mixture consisting of a 50/50 mix of the green jet fuel and traditional petroleum-derived jet fuel.
The flight, which will take place today at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, is the first green jet fuel demonstration flight in Europe and the first test flight to carry a select group of observers. UOP's process technology was also used to produce jet fuel used in previous test flights conducted in the U.S., Japan and New Zealand. Test results from earlier demonstration flights showed that green jet fuel produced using UOP's process technology performs as well, if not better, than jet fuel made from petroleum.
"Biofuels provide an important option to meeting the rapid growth in energy demand, while effectively balancing social and environmental needs," said Jennifer Holmgren, vice president and general manager of UOP's Renewable Energy and Chemicals business unit. "KLM shares a vision with UOP and others that green jet fuel can help meet the airline industry's goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions."
UOP's green jet fuel process technology was originally developed in 2007 under a contract from the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to produce renewable military jet fuel for the U.S. military. The process is based on hydroprocessing technology commonly used in today's refineries to produce transportation fuels. In this process, hydrogen is added to remove oxygen from natural oils produced from sustainable feedstocks including camelina, jatropha and algae.
The UOP process produces a green jet fuel that is blended seamlessly with petroleum-based fuel. When used up to a 50 percent blend with petroleum-derived jet fuel, the green jet fuel is a drop-in replacement that requires no changes to the aircraft technology and meets all of the critical specifications for flight, including a freeze point at -47 degrees Celsius and a flash point at 38 degrees Celsius.
Camelina, the biofeedstock which was converted to make the green jet fuel, is an inedible plant that grows in conditions where other food crops cannot, is considered a sustainable, second-generation resource because its cultivation and harvesting do not tax valuable food, land or water resources.
UOP, a recognized global leader in process technology to convert petroleum feedstocks to fuels and chemicals, is developing a range of processes to produce green fuels from natural feedstocks. UOP launched its Renewable Energy & Chemicals business in late 2006. In 2007, UOP commercialized the UOP/Eni Ecofining(TM) process to produce green diesel fuel from biological feedstocks, and in 2008 UOP formed the joint venture Envergent Technologies LLC with Ensyn Corp. to offer pyrolysis technology for the production of renewable heat, power and transportation fuels.
UOP LLC, headquartered in Des Plaines, Illinois, USA, is a leading international supplier and licensor of process technology, catalysts, adsorbents, process plants, and consulting services to the petroleum refining, petrochemical, and gas processing industries. UOP is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Honeywell International, Inc. and is part of Honeywell's Specialty Materials strategic business group. For more information, go to www.uop.com.
Honeywell International (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 diversified technology and manufacturing leader, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes and industry; automotive products; turbochargers; and specialty materials. Based in Morris Township, N.J., Honeywell's shares are traded on the New York, London, and Chicago Stock Exchanges. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywellnow.com.
This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements, other than statements of fact, that address activities, events or developments that we or our management intend, expect, project, believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on management's assumptions and assessments in light of past experience and trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other relevant factors. They are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results, developments and business decisions may differ from those envisaged by our forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements are also subject to risks and uncertainties, which can affect our performance in both the near- and long-term. We identify the principal risks and uncertainties that affect our performance in our Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Our forward-looking statements are also subject to risks and uncertainties, which can affect our performance in both the near- and long-term. We identify the principal risks and uncertainties that affect our performance in our Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
SOURCE UOP LLC, a Honeywell company
