Boeing Throws its Weight Behind Algae

Boeing has become an algae true believer. The company has joined scientists, academics and industry types in founding the Algal Biomass Organization to "facilitate commercialization and market development of microalgae biomass specifically for biofuels production and greenhouse gas abatement" and put two of its executives on the board.

It's a significant development because Boeing, the world's largest manufacturer of commercial jets, has the money and the muscle to push algal fuels as an alternative to fossil fuels. The company had until now been lukewarm about biofuels, but with the industry reeling from skyrocketing fuel costs - jet fuel topped $150 a barrel last week, a body blow to an industry that uses 5 million barrels of it a day - and increasing pressure to reduce emissions, Boeing is getting serious about algae.

"??Boeing recognizes that algae biomass holds tremendous potential for use as jet fuel, and it fits into our plan to guide aviation towards commercially viable and sustainable fuel sources," says Boeing's Billy Glover, who co-chairs the ABO steering committee.

The entire air industry is fighting for its life these days, and manufacturers have joined airlines in a mad scramble to find an alternative to fossil fuels. So far, those efforts have been piecemeal. The ABO is meant to bring order to the chaos.

In February, Virgin Atlantic became the first airline to test biofuels when it flew a Boeing 747 partially fueled by coconut and babassu oil. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines recently announced plans to test algal fuel developed by AlgaeLink and plans to have it fueling 50 planes by 2010. JetBlue and Airbus have joined the party and are working on a veggie oil-algae combination.

Although Boeing has dabbled in algal fuels, it's emphasized improvements in airframe and engine design - through the much-delayed 787 Dreamliner jet - as the best way to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. A company white paper (.pdf) on alt fuel isn't exactly a ringing endorsement:

Presently, it appears that an approach of using a ??drop-in?� jet fuel replacement, which may consist of a kerosene and synthetic fuel blend, will be possible for use in existing and near term aircraft. Future mid-term aircraft may use a bio-jet and synthetic fuel blend in ultra-efficient airplane designs. Future, long-term engines and aircraft in the 50-plus year horizon, may be specifically designed to use a low or zero-carbon fuel.

But with skyrocketing fuel prices and collapsing airlines threatening to take a big chunk out of its order book, Boeing's had a change of heart. "In the past two years, we have changed from algae skeptics to proponents," concedes Dave Daggett, the airline's environmental specialist.

It's taken a while, but it looks like Boeing is in the algae game in a major way.

Photo by Flickr user edwinsail.