US Air Force declares war on carbon emissions

The US Air Force's green credentials really took off last week after it completed a successful test flight of a military aircraft using a 50:50 blend of biofuel and conventional jet fuel.

The 90-minute flight in an A-10C Thunderbolt II out of Eglin Air Force Base in Florida marked the first time that any aircraft has been powered using a biofuel blend in all engines. Up to now test flights undertaken by commercial operators have tended to run only one or two engines using biofuel-based blends.

The US Air Force now plans to test the fuel on other aircraft, including an F-15 Eagle, a C-17 Globemaster III and an F-22 Raptor over the next couple of years. At the same time, the US Navy has also set its sights on using the new camelina-based jet fuel.

In addition to reducing its carbon footprint, the driving force behind the biofuel trials is to reduce imports of foreign fuel, explained Terry Yonkers, assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, environment and logistics.

"The Air Force is committed to reducing our reliance on foreign oil," he said. "Our goal is to reduce demand, increase supply and change the culture and mindset of our fuel consumption."

The biofuel used in the trial was based on camelina, otherwise known as false flax, which has been cultivated as an oilseed crop for centuries. Camelina, a distant relative of canola, can grow on marginal land and requires minimal water or fertiliser, potentially minimising fears that its use could have negative environmental impacts.

The residue from the seed-crushing operation may also be suitable for animal feed and camelina is potentially well suited to growing on reclaimed brownfields or other lands that are unsuitable for food crops.

Camelina has been championed by a number of biofuel companies including Sustainable Oils, which has supplied camelina biofuel for both the Air Force and the Navy test runs.

Analysts at research firm Biomass Advisors predict that one billion gallons of Camelina biofuel will be produced for the aviation and biodiesel sectors by 2025 and will create 25,000 new jobs. It says the market could be worth $5.5bn (£3.6bn) in new revenue for biofuel producers over that time frame and could generate $3.5bn in income for US and Canadian farmers.