FLYING HIGH ON JATROPHA BIO JET FUELS

With bio jet fuels past the PR testing stage, the future of aviation growth is predicated on flying being safe, efficient and environmentally responsible.
As a consequence, sustainable aviation fuels are required to meet the most rigorous feedstock selection and quality criteria, including life-cycle-assessment (LCA), positive net energy balance and minimal impact on eco-systems. In addition, bio jet fuel will have to be compliant with existing aircraft engines and hardware infrastructure for distribution, storage and fuelling systems with no or just minimal modifications required.

Crude Jatropha Oil (CJO) processed into bio-kerosene is a superior and sustainable form of fuel for the Aviation and Shipping industries. Engine tests and test flights have demonstrated that the use of biofuels from Jatropha as “drop-in” fuels is technically sound and works on all commonly used engine types properly and efficiently. It does not require any retro-fitting or costly modifications to aircraft, engine or fuelling equipment.


Together with its international industry partners JATRO has developed and commercialized agronomic practices and technology that convert non-edible, second-generation CJO into high quality renewable “green” Jet Fuel that meets all critical specifications for flight and reduces your greenhouse gas emissions. In short, JATRO’s CJO is the safe, tested, proven and certified answer to the Aviation Industry’s need for cost effective green fuel.

Jatropha derived on-spec Green Jet Fuel offers several advantages:

  1. Drop-in replacement fuel at a 50% blend requires no changes to fleet technology or fuel infrastructure
  2. Made from non-food, second generation feedstocks that don’t interfere with food, land or water resources
  3. Meets or exceeds all critical jet fuel specifications
  4. Has shown higher energy density in flight, which allows aircraft to fly further on less fuel
  5. Can offer up to 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions relative to petroleum-based fuels
  6. Our Green Jet Fuel is successfully powering a number of commercial biofuel flights, proving that this fuel meets all relevant industry specifications without any aircraft modifications.


Airline sector endorses commercialization

The first renewable alternatives to kerosene (the predominant jet fuel) are on the verge of commercial availability. In recent months, jatropha blends, now governed by a global standard, have fueled jet flights over the Atlantic and even powered fighter planes. For selected European carriers, biofuel is becoming part of the everyday operation, in particular at Deutsche Lufthansa AG and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Users Group, comprised of 23 major airlines, has pledged to only use biofuels that perform as well as kerosene but have a lower carbon impact.The long term use of jatropha based bio-kerosene on scheduled commercial flights will see 1.400 test flights over a six month period by Lufthansa alone. Formal approval and official industry certification have been received by the US American Certification Institute ASTM. ASTM’s official seal of approval for use of hydro-treated bio-kerosene in commercial aviation and increasingly strong demand pave the way for jatropha based aviation fuel to be scaled up to commercially viable levels. With technical and demand issues largely solved what is needed now is commercial availability. The value chain needs to prove, scalability, sustainability and economic feasibility.

Accordingly, the key remaining barriers to commercialization of renewable jet fuels and their rapid uptake in the marketplace are:

  • Accelerated Path to Market –

As feedstock supplier and aggregator, JATRO engages and aligns key demand-side stakeholders to accelerate renewable jet fuels’ path to market and scale up.

  • Commercial Scale Production –

JATRO seeks to facilitate the financing of commercial scale production of renewable aviation fuels through innovative finance structures, vertical partnerships and long-term contract development.

  • Competitive Pricing –

Depending on the underlying variables JATRO is in a position to offer CJO-based jet fuel solutions at prices that are competitive to petroleum-based kerosene.

With more plantations reaching production status, JATRO is well prepared to overcome the identified barriers and meet the aviation industry’s demand.