DOHA: Following Qatar Airways’ success in October in operating a commercial flight from London to Doha powered by a gas-to-liquid (GTL) fuel blend, the airline has announced plans to branch out into the manufacture and supply of sustainable bio jet fuel.
The airline did not say how much money would be pumped into the joint project with Qatar Petroleum (QP), Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP) and Airbus, but it emphasized its goal of becoming more environmentally friendly.
Addressing a press conference in Doha on Sunday, Qatar Airways’ Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al-Baker said: “Building on the experience and success of the GTL Consortium, we now move to the next phase of alternative fuels while continuing to develop GTL further. While others talk, we take action.”
Seven months ago, Qatar Airways and QTSP together with US-based Verno Systems Inc., embarked on a comprehensive and detailed feasibility study on sustainable biomass-to-liquid (BTL) jet fuel and possible by-products such as bio diesel.
The study looked at all available bio-feed stocks that would not affect the food or fresh water supply chain. It also looked at existing and future production technologies with a viability analysis.
Based on the result of the study, the partners have agreed to establish the Qatar Advanced Biofuel Platform (QABP), which will lead activities in engineering and implementation plan for economically viable and sustainable bio fuel production and a bio fuel investment strategy, an advanced technology development program along with ongoing market and strategic analysis.
These activities will be built on, and primarily motivated by, the objective of executing advanced bio fuel projects -- with Qatar Airways initially as a dedicated end-user.
QABP will be structured so that it can be expanded to include additional projects, technologies, investments and partnerships globally.
QABP takes a portfolio approach to the development of advanced bio fuels across feed stocks, technologies and geographies in order to meet our short, medium and long term goals.
Specific feed stocks have been identified which could be developed and processed with the aim of providing access to BTL jet fuel for use by Qatar Airways.
“Qatar Airways already has one of the lowest carbon footprints in the industry due to its investment of billions of dollars in a state-of-the art aircraft fleet. By entering into the production and supply of bio jet fuels, we will be able to get closer and closer to the much-talked-about carbon neutral growth,” said Al-Baker.
“By launching this new initiative with Qatar Airways, we have taken yet another important step to reach carbon neutral growth in the aviation sector by 2020. This industry-wide cooperation will achieve real progress in finding sustainable fuel alternatives,” said Tom Enders, Airbus president and CEO.
Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, director oil and gas ventures at Qatar Petroleum, said: “Qatar Petroleum is committed to supplying clean fuels to the world. We are currently the world’s largest supplier of LNG and GTL products and our participation in this project demonstrates our eagerness to further investigate the developing of new clean fuels.”
QSTP Chairman Tidu Maini added: “The commitment of Qatar Airways and its partners to ensure that new aviation fuel technology is effectively applied is a great example of the kind of research being pioneered at QSTP through its partners. Research activities on alternative and environmentally-friendly fuels like BTL will establish QSTP as a leading international hub for the application of new platform technologies. This is a great example of an effective multi-partner collaborative research and development program which is already producing successful outcomes.”