Projects
Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium (SBRC)
ObjectiveThe objective of the Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium is to lay the foundation for arid land and saltwater-based sustainable aviation fuels. DescriptionThe Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium (SBRC) is leading a research and demonstration project designed to study the commercial viability of halophyte-derived jet fuel and bioenergy. The Seawater Energy and Agriculture System (SEAS) includes three basic components, namely, aquaculture and halophyte agriculture and agroforestry. Agronomic research on halophyte plants such as Salicornia bigelovii, and other local species, has produced very promising results in the potential to scale the production of these types of feedstocks. The use of non-arable desert land and sea-water irrigation really sets this system apart from traditional biomass production. The project uses aquaculture effluent from fish and shrimp farms to provide the majority of the nutrient content to the Salicornia fields, with the leftover effluent being treated by a mangrove wetland. In line with a presentation delivered during the First ICAO Stocktaking Seminar toward the 2050 Vision for Sustainable Aviation Fuels, the SBRC's projected aviation fuel production from 2019-2032 using Salicornia is shown below: | Category Research & Development Value-chain step Full Value-chain Type of pathway HEFA-SPK (near-term) / FT-SPK (mid-term) Starting time and duration 2011 - Stakeholders Research institutions, airlines, manufacturers Regional scope National Involved countries United Arab Emirates Status On-going | ||||||||
In addition to aviation fuel, the project contemplates the production of biomass-based electricity and other biofuels, as well as food from the aquaculture operation. PartnersKhalifa University of Science and Technology, Etihad Airways, ADNOC Refining, The Boeing Company, Safran , GE, and Bauer Resources GmbH Achievements to dateIn September 2016, the SBRC collected their first harvest of their salicornia fields. The Salicornia was processed into aviation fuel during 2018, and a first flight using a small amount of Salicornia derived fuel took place on January 15, 2019, on the route Abu Dhabi – Amsterdam. Click here to view a video that presents this work. Contact informationDr. Alejandro Rios G., Director Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium Chief Research Scientist Khalifa University of Science and Technology PO Box 127788, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Email: alejandro.riosgalvan [at] ku.ac.ae (alejandro[dot]riosgalvan[at]ku[dot]ac[dot]ae) |