INDIA’S FIRST BIOFUEL POWERED FLIGHT

About:

• The 43-minute flight was operated by SpiceJet’s Bombardier Q-400 aircraft, with 20 officials and five crew members on board.
  
  
• A blend of 25% of bio jet fuel and 75% of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) was carried in one of the two engines of the plane, while the other carried only ATF. International standards permit a blend of upto 50% biofuel with ATF.
  
  
• Agencies involved: The indigenously developed Aviation biofuel has been developed by CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum, Dehradun.
  
  
• Significance: With this maiden flight India joins the exclusive club of nations using biofuel in aviation. The use of bio-jet fuel has various benefits like
  • Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by about 15 % and sulphur oxides (SOx) emissions by over 99%,
    
    
  • Providing indigenous jet fuel supply security and bring downs import bill on crude oil,
    
    
  • Possible cost savings as feedstock availability at farm level scales up,
    
    
  • superior engine performance and reduced maintenance cost for the airline operators.
    
    
  
  
  
• Way ahead: Government is planning to formulate a policy on bio jet fuel for aviation industry.