Honeywell sees boom in aviation biofuels

MORRISTOWN, N.J., July 7 (UPI) -- After a successful flight to Paris, officials at Honeywell said aviation biofuels could make up as much as 15 percent of the total supply of jet fuel by 2020.

A jet flying from New Jersey to the Paris Air Show last month made its trip using aviation biofuels developed by Honeywell.

Jim Rekoske, vice president for renewable energy programs at the company, told the Platts news service the flight was a milestone for aviation.

"It opens the door for commercial, passenger-bearing travel and the demand for these fuels in the aviation industry will foster further investment in feedstock development and the construction of commercial scale refineries," he said in response to e-mailed questions.

International standards organization ASTM in July approved a standard for as much as 50 percent blends of conventional and biofuels for aviation fuel.

Rekoske said aviation biofuels are more expensive than conventional fuels because the feedstocks used cost more than crude oil. Nevertheless, demand for cleaner fuels is expected to fuel the 60 billion-gallon-per-year commercial jet fuel sector.

"I believe that biofuels could account for 5 to as much as 15 percent of the total supply by 2020," he was quoted as saying.