Industry study says Northwest ideal for production of biofuels

The
Northwest has the ideal resources for producing biofuels for aviation,
according to a study released Wednesday by a group including the Boeing
Co. and Alaska Airlines.

“It is critical to the future of
aviation that we develop a sustainable supply of aviation biofuels,”
said Jim Albaugh, president of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division.
“Airlines are particularly vulnerable to oil price volatility, and the
aviation community must address this issue to maintain economic growth
and further mitigate the environmental impacts of our industry.”

Sustainable
Aviation Fuels Northwest concluded a 10-month study and released it
Wednesday. The study looks at all phases of aviation biofuels
development, including production, refining, transport and use by
airlines.

Boeing, Alaska Air, the ports of Seattle and Portland,
and Washington State University launched the initiative last July. The
group said favorable public policy and financial incentives will be
needed to get a strong biofuel industry going in the region.

Jay
Manning, chief of staff for Gov. Chris Gregoire, welcomed the idea of
cultivating a biofuel industry in the state. Doing so would create jobs,
be good for the environment and help grow Washington’s aerospace
industry.

Having a homegrown, sustainable fuel source should
help stabilize fuel costs for the aviation industry. Alaska Airlines has
done what it can in terms of fuel efficiency by operating
fuel-efficient jets such as Boeing 737s and using satellite-based flying
technology to reduce fuel consumption, said Bill Ayer, chief executive
of the Seattle-based airline.

“We realize that efficiency can only take us so far,” Ayer said.

Billy
Glover, vice president of environment and aviation policy for Boeing,
outlined the fuel sources the group identified in the region. Those
include algae, solid waste, forest residues and oil seeds such as
camelina, which grows in fairly dry soil.

Glover said it’s
important not to focus on just one fuel source. Additionally, the group
wanted to make sure the sources they identified are sustainable. In
terms of cost, Glover believes the price of producing biofuel will drop
over the years.

“We expect a long runway of improvement over the years,” he said.

In the short term, though, a new biofuels industry in the region will have plenty of positives, Glover said.

“It’s going to create new jobs, good new jobs,” he said.

Members
of Washington’s Congressional delegation introduced legislation that
would create an even larger market for biofuels: the U.S. military.
Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, along with Rep. Jay Inslee, are
sponsoring a bill that would increase the length of time in contract
between the military and biofuel producers.

“Building our biofuel supply chain will create jobs and new economic opportunities in the state of Washington,” Inslee said.

– HeraldNet