Airbus acts as catalyst in the ‘Camelina’ sustainable bio-kerosene jet-fuel project

Airbus along with Tarom Romanian Air Transport and a consortium of key stakeholders have established one of Europe's first projects aiming to establish a sustainable bio-kerosene jet-fuel processing and production capability.

The project aims to provide a bio-fuel made from the camelina plant, as a renewable, sustainable substitute to fossil based jet fuel. Although, with a special interest in the camelina plant; the project will also use diverse biomass sources as feedstock.

Camelina is the preferred feedstock because of its energy potential, its rotational crop qualities, its green house gas reduction potential and its low water requirements. Besides, being indigenous to Romania, it can be readily farmed and harvested by family farmers.

This is the first European based value chain project bringing together farmers, oil-refiners and an airline to spearhead the commercialization of sustainable bio-fuel production, said Paul Nash, Airbus Head of New Energies.

Airbus will support the fuel approval processes, and lead in assessing the effect on the aircraft systems and engines.

The consortium will work together with the Bucharest University of Agronomical Sciences and Veterinary Medicine's Centre of Biotechnology on the sustainable agricultural phase of the project regarding the camelina plantations, harvesting and oil production.