Category: sNews (EN)

Neste: Expanding the Utilization of Residues to Produce Renewable Fuels

sNews (EN)

Putting poor quality waste fats into good use while keeping an eye on algae oil and waste plastic

Keilaranta, Finland, October 12, 2016: Neste has become the world’s largest producer of renewable fuels from waste and residues as a result of long-term work. As a pioneer in this field, Neste has already an exceptionally extensive portfolio of raw materials. The portfolio is actively developed with the aim of being expanded even further.

In particular, the company focuses on waste and residues that contain fat, which currently cover close to 80% of the raw materials of renewable products. “Having as extensive a portfolio of raw materials as possible provides flexibility, which we need as a global company to serve multiple markets and meet their special requirements. At the same time, Neste creates credibility and vitality for the entire biofuel industry by also creating possibilities for other companies to utilize diverse raw materials,” says Päivi Lintonen, Supply Development Manager from Neste’s Renewable Products business area. Lintonen is responsible for development work related to raw materials already utilized by Neste, such as developing the potential of the waste and residue streams of these materials.

Neste has been collecting fat from meat and fish processing industry’s slaughter and gutting waste from a number of sources globally for several years. Other significant sources on a global scale are fat residues and used cooking oil from the food industry and restaurants.

According to Lintonen, the aim is to be able to utilize raw materials of increasingly poor quality, for which there have not been significant uses so far. From the circular economy and sustainability point of view, the aim is naturally also to obtain more added value from raw materials that could otherwise end up being merely incinerated.  “When considering a new raw material, the first task is to ensure that it meets sustainability criteria – both those laid down in legislation and Neste’s own criteria, which are often even stricter. Only after this do we review how each raw material technically suits to be processed in our refineries.”

Many residues from the production of vegetable oils are suitable for use as raw materials for Neste’s renewable products. Such residues include, for example, palm fatty acid distillate consisting of free fatty acids, i.e. inedible rancid fats that are removed from food industry oil to improve taste, color and odor.

Technical corn oil, on the other hand, is a residue of corn-based ethanol production and the related production process for animal feed, and is not suitable for human consumption. By utilizing the residues of vegetable oil production, Neste’s raw material sourcing does not compete with food production; rather, it offers an emission-reducing and sustainable use for processing residues that are produced in any case in the food industry.

Another raw material worth mentioning is tall oil pitch, a residue produced in connection with the production of tall oil in the pulp industry, which Neste has already been using as a bio-component blended with fossil fuel. More extensive ways of utilizing it are being researched.

Looking into new ways to accelerate circular economy

“To ensure growth, we must have a perspective of ten years from now, when the world will probably look completely different. The waste- and residue-based fats and oils utilized in the current refineries are, to some extent, limited sources for which we must seek new alternatives,” says Päivi Paakkarinen, working on renewable raw materials not yet used by Neste.

Algae oil is one of the most important renewable future raw materials, one which Neste has already been researching for a long time and made sourcing preparations by making conditional off-take agreements with suppliers of algae oil, among other measures. Microalgae that produces algae oil are not yet cultivated on an industrial scale due to high costs. According to Paakkarinen, a promising process already exists, but finding suitable partners and a cooperation model are crucial issues.

“The required investments present a major challenge also for the utilization of forestry residues. More research work and technology developments are required before we can find a cost-efficient solution,” Paakkarinen explains, although also in this sector, Neste has already carried out internationally trailblazing work related to both the development of technology and refining of raw material.

According to Paakkarinen, increasing significance of the circular economy will inevitably be a future trend. “In our research, we also investigate the suitability of a wide range of recycled raw materials, such as waste plastic, as raw material for our refining. This way, waste material can be returned to circulation and reused several times.”

Expanding the Utilization of Residues

Expanding the Utilization of Residues

Source: Neste

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ICAO Achieves Consensus on Sustainable Future for Global Civil Aviation

sNews (EN)

Air transport is the world’s first major industry sector to adopt a global approach to international emissions reduction

Montréal, October 6, 2016: ICAO’s Member States concluded the UN aviation agency’s landmark 39th Assembly today, delivering an historic agreement on a new global market-based measure (GMBM) to offset CO2 emissions from international flights and a comprehensive roadmap for the sustainable future of international aviation.

“Aviation can now claim its ‘Paris moment’,” declared ICAO Council President Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, “Air transport is not only the world’s first major industry sector to adopt a global approach to international emissions reduction, but very importantly States representing more than 83% of international flight operations have volunteered to participate in the GMBM from its earliest stages in 2021.”

“The GMBM will serve as an important new tool to complement the wide-ranging emissions reduction progress already being achieved under aviation’s basket of measures,” noted ICAO Secretary General Dr. Fang Liu in her Assembly closing remarks, “namely through technological innovation, modernized procedures, and the ever-expanding use of sustainable alternative fuels.”

Significant and far-reaching 39th Assembly progress was achieved across all of ICAO’s five Strategic Objectives for Aviation Safety, Air Navigation Capacity and Efficiency, Aviation Security and Facilitation, the Economic Development of Air Transport, and Environmental Protection.

Targets and approaches

ICAO Member States delivered very clear endorsements for the targets and approaches being pursued globally under ICAO’s comprehensive strategic plans, and supported the need for it to provide similar leadership at the global level in the form of two new Global Plans now to be developed for Aviation Security and Air Transport Economic Development.

They also showed their clear appreciation and support for ICAO’s recent reprioritization on assistance and capacity-building under its No Country Left Behind strategy, aided by more intensive global partnerships and resource mobilization.

Other decisions of note included agreement to amend the Chicago Convention to increase the number of States on ICAO’s Governing Council and its supporting Air Navigation Commission.

“The Council President and I have been very encouraged to see such a high level of interest from Member States and industry in the work of ICAO, recognizing and supporting our leading role in global aviation,” Dr. Liu concluded. “This Assembly has benefitted from the participation of more than 2,200 delegates from 185 Members States, non-Member States and 56 observer delegations – the highest number we have ever hosted – and we have achieved 30% more work than at any previous event of this kind.”

A more detailed review of the specific environmental items endorsed at the 39th Assembly may be found below.

 

ICAO’s Plan for Environmental Protection

  • Endorsement of a global market-based measure (GMBM), the first-ever market-based measure adopted by an entire industry sector.
  • Recognition of the ongoing work to develop a new supersonic noise Standard for future aircraft, and that the possible certification of a supersonic aeroplane in the 2020-2025 timeframe.
  • Recognition of the development of a new non-volatile Particulate Matter (nvPM) emissions Standard for all turbofan and turbojet aircraft with rated thrust greater than 26.7kN (first-ever).
  • Support for the ICAO aspirational goals on CO2 emissions reduction and recognition of progress on all elements of the Basket of Measures.
  • Recognition of the development of a new global CO2 emissions certification Standard for New Type and In-production aeroplanes (first-ever).
  • Welcome the partnership agreement between ICAO and ACI that focuses on various cooperative initiatives for greener airports.
  • Recognition of significant achievements in assisting States to develop their State action plans for CO2 emissions reduction, leading to the submission of 101 State plans to ICAO
  • Request for advancing on emerging issues such as:

o    environmental aspects of aircraft end-of-life (e.g. aircraft recycling); and

o    climate change risk assessment on international aviation, including identification of adaptation measures

ICAO Consensus on Sustainable Future for Global Civil Aviation

More than 2,200 delegates from 185 Members States, non-Member States and 56 observer delegations to ICAO’s 39th Assembly achieved 30% more work than at any previous event of its kind, including an historic agreement on a new global market-based measure (GMBM) for international flight emissions.Photo: ICAO

ICAO Assemblies are conducted once every three years, with the agency’s 40th set to take place during its 75th Anniversary year in 2019

Source: ICAO

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Boeing Supports ICAO Adoption of Carbon-Offset System

sNews (EN)
IASA: Nachhaltige Luftfahrt - Sustainable Aviation

Seattle, October 6, 2016: Boeing today released the following statement in response to the International Civil Aviation Organization’s adoption of a carbon-offset system:

“Boeing commends the International Civil Aviation Organization for adopting a carbon-offset system for international aviation that will help the industry achieve its goal of reducing emissions.

This historic agreement represents the world’s first sector-based, global market mechanism to address climate change and is complementary to the first-ever CO2 standard for airplane emissions that ICAO adopted earlier this year. These two significant agreements result from several years of collaboration by international experts from ICAO member states, the aviation industry and non-governmental organizations.

The market-based carbon-offset system and CO2 standard are integral to the four-pillar approach the industry is taking to stop the growth of emissions by 2020 and cut them in half by 2050 relative to 2005 levels. These efforts also include:

ð       Investing in new, more efficient aircraft;

ð       Improving operational performance of the in-service fleet;

ð       Improving the efficiency of air traffic management and other infrastructure; and

ð       Scaling up the use of sustainable alternative fuels.

We continually innovate to improve the efficiency and environmental performance of our products and services. The 787 Dreamliner family reduces fuel use and CO2 emissions by 20 to 25 percent compared to airplanes it replaces. The 737 MAX, with first delivery expected in 2017, will reduce fuel use and emissions by 20 percent compared to the original Next-Generation 737.”

Source: Boeing

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