[SINGAPORE] Rolls-Royce and British Airways yesterday announced the start of a scientific test programme to investigate the viability of alternative fuels for the aviation industry.

The in-depth study will seek to identify practical alternatives to the current industry-standard fuel kerosene, with the potential to make real reductions to the carbon footprint of aircraft.

The study also comes at a time when aviation fuel has hit all-time highs of around US$180 per barrel, more than double its price a year ago.

The two companies will initiate a joint tender process, inviting suppliers to offer alternative fuel samples for testing on a Rolls-Royce RB211 engine from a British Airways Boeing 747.

The tests will be carried out on an indoor engine test bed at the Rolls-Royce facility in Derby, UK.

Testing the engine in the controlled environment of a Rolls-Royce test bed enables more accurate data to be gathered than would be possible on an actual flight because additional instrumentation can be used and performance and emissions will not be affected by other external factors.

Following the tender process, there will be a selection of up to four alternative fuels, which will undergo laboratory testing before being delivered to Rolls-Royce in the new year. Each company will be asked to supply up to 60,000 litres of their alternative fuel.

This will be followed by intensive trials, during which the aero-engine will be powered by the alternative fuels and its performance compared with running on conventional kerosene.

In each case, the engine will be operated through its full range of power settings including idle, acceleration, take off
and cruise. Testing is expected to be completed by the end of March 2009, after which the results will be analysed and reported.

Ric Parker, director of research and technology at Rolls-Royce, said the key criteria for the selection of the alternative fuels would be their suitability, sustainability and industrial capability.

"It is critical that the fuel can not only do the job required of it, but can also offer a CO2 benefit and be produced without a detrimental impact to food, land or water. There must also be clear evidence of the potential for mass production and global distribution of an alternative fuel to support the world's aviation industry."

Record high jet kerosene prices have directly contributed to the collapse of 25 airlines worldwide during the first six months of this year, according to the International Air Transport Association. The organisation, whose member airlines carry over 90 per cent of the world's commercial passenger traffic, stated that while fuel prices used to make up just 13 per cent of airlines' costs, they are now fast reaching 35 per cent of costs.

According to Iata, the global aviation industry will collectively lose over US$6.1 billion if oil price stays at US$135 pbl. Oil is currently already well over US$140 pbl, with some analysts predicting it could hit US$200 pbl by year end.

This article was first published in The Business Time on July 11, 2008.